Bastien und Bastienne

(Bastien and Bastienne), K. 50 (revised in 1964 to K. 46b) is a one-act singspiel, a comic opera, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

was one of Mozart's earliest operas, written in 1768 when he was only twelve years old. It was allegedly commissioned by Viennese physician and 'magnetist' Dr. Franz Mesmer (who himself would later be parodied in Così fan tutte) as a satire of the 'pastoral' genre then prevalent, and specifically as a parody of the opera Le devin du village by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The German libretto is by Friedrich Wilhelm Weiskern, Johann Heinrich Friedrich Müller and Johann Andreas Schachtner, based on by Justine Favart and Harny de Guerville. After its supposed premiere in Mesmer's garden theater (that is only corroborated by an unverified account of Nissen), it was not revived again until 1890. It is not clear whether this piece was performed in Mozart's lifetime. The first known performance was on 2 October 1890 at Architektenhaus in Berlin.Bastien und Bastienne, performance history, Opera Glass, Stanford University

The opera is written in both the French and German manners. Many of the melodies are French in manner, but Bastienne's first aria is a true German lied. This melody is also used in Mozart's Trio in G for Piano, Violin and Violoncello, K. 564 (1788). Another purely German lied is Bastienne's aria "I feel certain of his heart". Mozart utilizes the orchestra sparingly, with the exception of the reconciliation scene.

The opening theme of Mozart's overture resembles that of the first movement of Beethoven's Symphony no. 3, Eroica (in a different key). It is unlikely that Beethoven was familiar with Mozart's youthful opera. In any case, opening a movement with an arpeggio of the tonic chord was an extremely common occurrence in the Classical period. The resemblance is likely coincidental.

Although he was very young, Mozart already had excellent vocal writing skills and a knack for parody and whimsy which would reach full flower in his later works. is possibly the easiest to perform of Mozart's juvenile works.

Roles RoleVoice typePremiere cast, 2 October 1890(Conductor: – )Bastienne, a shepherdesssopranoBastien, her lovertenorColas, a quack magicianbass

Synopsis Place: A pastoral village Time: Indeterminate Bastienne, a shepherdess, fears that her "dearest friend", Bastien, has forsaken her for another pretty face, and decides to go into the pasture to be comforted by her flock of lambs.

Before she can leave, however, she runs into Colas, the village soothsayer. Bastienne requests the help of his magical powers to help win back her Bastien. Colas (being a soothsayer) knows all about the problem, and comforts her with the knowledge that Bastien has not abandoned her, rather, he's merely been distracted lately by 'the lady of the manor'. His advice is to act coldly towards Bastien, which will make him come running back.

Bastien is heard approaching, so Bastienne hides herself. Bastien swaggers in, proclaiming how much he loves Bastienne. Colas informs him that Bastienne has a new lover. Bastien is shocked and asks the magician for help.

Colas opens his book of spells and recites a nonsense aria filled with random syllables and Latin quotations. Colas declares the spell a success and that Bastienne is in love with Bastien once more. Bastienne, however, decides to keep up the game a bit longer and spurns Bastien with great vehemence. Bastien threatens suicide, which Bastienne merely shrugs off.

Finally, the two decide that they have gone far enough and agree to reconcile. Colas joins them as they all sing a final trio in praise of the magician.

Noted arias

"Mein liebster Freund hat mich verlassen" – Bastienne "Ich geh' jetzt auf die Weide" – Bastienne "Befraget mich ein zartes Kind" – Colas "Wenn mein Bastien einst im Scherze" – Bastienne "Würd' ich auch, wie manche Buhlerinnen" – Bastienne "Grossen Dank dir abzustatten" – Bastien "Geh'! du sagst mir eine Fabel" – Bastien "Diggi, daggi, shurry, murry" – Colas "Meiner Liebsten schöne Wangen" – Bastien "Er war mir sonst treu und ergeben" – Bastienne

Recordings YearCast(Bastien, Bastienne, Colas)Conductor,orchestraLabelCatalogue numberc. 1940 Paul DerenneMartha AngeliciAndré MondeGustave CloëzOrchestre du Conservatoire de Paris78rpm set: L'Anthologie SonoreCat: FA 801-8061952 Waldemar KmenttIlse HollwegWalter BerrySir John PritchardWiener SymphonikerLP: PhilipsCat: ABL 30101956 Richard HolmRita StreichToni BlankenheimChristoph SteppMünchner KammerorchesterCD: Deutsche GrammophonCat: 474 738 21957 Three soloists of Wiener SängerknabenEdouard Lindenberg Wiener KammerorchesterLP: Philips1965 Peter SchreierAdele StolteTheo AdamHelmut KochKammerorchester BerlinCD: Berlin ClassicsCat: 0091292 BC1969 Thomas LehrbergerIleana CotrubașPeter van der BiltLeopold HagerMozarteum Orchester SalzburgCD: ORFEOCat: C 705061 B1976 Claes H. AhnsjoEdith MathisWalter BerryLeopold HagerMozarteum Orchester SalzburgLP: Deutsche GrammophonCat: 2537 0381976 Adolf DallapozzaBrigitte LindnerKurt MollEberhard SchoenerBayerisches StaatsorchesterLP: EMI ElectrolaCat: 1C 065 302311986 Three soloists of Wiener Sängerknaben:Dominik Orieschnig Georg Nigl David BuschUwe Christian Harrer Wiener SymphonikerCD: PhilipsCat: 422 527-21989 Vinson ColeEdita GruberováLászló PolgárRaymond LeppardFranz Liszt Chamber OrchestraCD: Sony ClassicalCat: 458551990 Ralph EschrigDagmar SchellenbergerRené PapeMax PommerRundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester LeipzigCD: Berlin ClassicsCat: 0010102BC1991 Dongkyu ChoyEva KirchnerThomas Müller De VriesRené ClemencicAlpe Adria EnsembleCD: Nuova EraCat: 73442006 Bernhard BerchtoldEvmorfia MetaxakiRadu CojocariuElisabeth FuchsJunge Philharmonie SalzburgDVD: Deutsche GrammophonCat: 000440 073 4244 22018 Alessandro FisherAnna Lucia RichterDarren JefferyIan PageThe MozartistsCD: Signum ClassicsCat: SIGCD5472019 Tetsuya MochizukiEri UnokiMasumitsu MiyamotoKeiko Takata (piano)Mozart Singers Japan (MSJ)CD: ExtonCat: OVCL-00745

Bastien und Bastienne

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