Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Opera) Plot & Characters

Overview

Synopsis

Belmonte, a young Spanish nobleman, has travelled to Turkey to rescue his beloved from the Pasha who is holding her prisoner, along with her maid Blonde and Belmonte’s servant Pedrillo. When Belmonte sees Osmin, the Pasha’s palace overseer, he asks about the whereabouts of Pedrillo, but Osmin, who hates Pedrillo as a rival for Blonde’s love, makes him leave. Despite Osmin’s attempt to get rid of Belmonte, Belmonte runs into Pedrillo and is elated at their being reunited. Pedrillo assures Belmonte that Constanze still loves him, and Belmonte shares with Pedrillo a plan for their escape. While the two are trying to figure out how to rescue the women they love, Constanze and Blonde are being courted by Osmin and the Pasha. Blonde rejects Osmin’s advances constantly, and Constanze, while kinder with her rejection, keeps the Pasha at a distance. Will the women be rescued, or will they have to finally succumb to the advances of the Turkish men?

Mozart’s opera was a huge success at its 1782 premiere and was performed frequently during his lifetime. It is interesting to note as well that Mozart was only 26 years old at the premiere of this opera and conducted the premiere. Since then, Die Entführung aus dem Serail has not fallen out of the operatic repertory, and it is one of the most performed operas every year. It has also been widely recorded;more than 50 different recordings of the opera exist. With its vocal fireworks, comedic story, and beautiful melodies, Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail is an operatic gem sure to delight audiences for centuries to come.

Show Information

Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Libretto: Christoph Friedrich Bretzner

Category: Opera

Age Guidance: Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)

Number of Acts: 3

First Produced: 1782

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Settings: Unit/Single Set

Time & Place: 1700’s, turkey, 16th century

Cast Size: medium

Orchestra Size: Medium

Dancing: None

Ideal For: College/University, Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast

Lead Characters

View all characters in Die Entführung aus dem Serail

Context

Plot

Characters

Name	Part Size	Gender	Vocal Part
Belmonte	Lead	Male	Tenor
Constanze	Lead	Female	Soprano
Blonde	Lead	Female	Soprano
Pedrillo	Lead	Male	Tenor
Osmin	Lead	Male	Bass
Pasha Selim	Featured	Male	Spoken
Klaas	Featured	Male	Spoken
A Guard	Featured	Male	Spoken
Chorus	Ensemble	Either Gender

Songs

Act One

Overture
Aria - Hier soll ich dich denn sehen (Belmonte)
Duet - Wer ein Liebchen hat gefunden (Osmin, Belmonte)
Aria - Solche herglauf’ne Laffen (Osmin)
Recit. & Aria - Constanze! Constanze!...O wie ängstlich (Belmonte)
Chorus - Singt dem grossen Bassa Lieder (Chorus)
Aria - Ach ich liebte, war so glücklich (Constanze)
Trio - Marsch, Marsch, Marsch (Belmonte, Osmin, Pedrillo)

Act Two

Aria - Durch Zärtlichkeit und Schmeicheln (Blonde)
Duet - Ich gehe doch rate ich dir (Blonde, Osmin)
Recit. & Aria - Welcher Kummer herrscht in meiner Seele (Constanze)
Aria - Martern aller Arten (Constanze)
Aria - Welche Wonne welche Lust (Blonde)
Aria - Frisch zum Kampfe (Pedrillo)
Duet - Vivat Bacchus! Bacchus lebe! (Pedrillo, Osmin)
Aria - Wenn der Freude Tränen fliessen (Belmonte)
Quartet - Ach Belmonte, ach mein Leben (Constanze, Blonde, Belmonte, Pedrillo)

Act Three

Aria - Ich baue ganz auf deine Stärke (Belmonte)
Romance - Im Mohrenland gefangen war (Pedrillo)
Aria - O! Wie will ich triumphieren (Osmin)
Recit. & Duet - Welch ein Geschick! (Constanze, Belmonte)
Finale - Nie werd ich deine Huld verkennen (Constanze, Belmonte, Blonde, Pedrillo, Osmin, Chorus)

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.