Mozart’s opera The Abduction from the Seraglio, K 384 (original German name Die Entführung aus dem Serail) was first performed in Vienna in July 1782 with the composer himself conducting. The plot concerns the attempt by Belmonte, assisted by his servant Pedrillo, to rescue his beloved Constanze from the seraglio of Pasha Selim. This work is a ‘singspiel’ – a form of German-language music drama in which the narrative is carried forward by spoken dialogues as opposed to sung recitativo numbers.
On November 11 and 12, members of the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet Company are conducted by Zdravko Lazarov, with a chorus trained by Paolo Villa. The programme notes tell us that in these performances, directed by Caner Akın, reference is made to the Spanish ’flu epidemic of 1918, parallels being drawn with the recent pandemic. In what way this is done, however, remains to be seen.
Issue 66, December 2023
Turkey’s Centenary Issue
