Antonio Salieri: Prima la musica, poi le parole - Overture and first duet

Prima la musica e poi le parole, also called Prima la musica, poi le parole is an opera in one act by Antonio Salieri. It was first performed on February 7, 1786 in Vienna, following a commission by the Emperor Joseph II. The opera (more specifically, a divertimento teatrale) was first performed at one end of his orangery by an Italian troupe. Simultaneously, Mozart's Der Schauspieldirektor was staged at the other end. The libretto was written by Giovanni Battista Casti.

Count Opizio contracts a new opera to be written to be ready in four days. The composer has already created the score, but the poet is suffering from writers block and resorts to trying to adapt previous verses he has written to the existing music.

Robert Holl and Thomas Hampson sing, Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducts the Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsteram.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Antonio
• Salieri
• prima
• la
• musica
• poi
• le
• parole
• Nikolaus
• Harnoncourt
• concertgebouw

[Daniele9887]

Pensare che questa musica è stata messa in scena insieme a quella di Mozart il 7 febbraio del 1786 in una gara tra opera italiana e quella tedesca. Per me, non sarò imparziale, ma niente è più bello della musica italiana.

[jtelesio]

@anasalwash, The play and movie, Amadeus was FICTION based on real characters and that's all. There is no evidence that there was anything but well-deserved, mutual respect between these two. Perhaps genius is just matter of degrees when their works are compared; remember the best of salieri was probably better than the "pretty good" of Mozart (if there is such a thing!)

[theEmperorsTarot]

There was actually a Friendship between Mozart and Salieri where they actually liked eachother, and Mozart's second son learned music from Salieri, doesn't sound like something enemies would do.

[kreeezle]

This is better than Mozart's Der Schauspieldirektor, just sayin...

[revolutionsetude]

@TheOperaguide

true, but where do you know from?

[TheOperaguide]

Definitly a great opera, but in my opinion Harnoncournts interpretation is

without soul, his Mozart interpretations are better. On this Cd he also recorded

The Schauspieldirektor and the interpretation is much better. I have heard that Hrnoncournt only wanted to prove Mozart is better than Salieri, and because of that the interpretation of "Prima la musica" is borring, but infact Salieris composition is better than Mozarts.

[Lifeofmusic90]

@Daniele9887 ma ancora non ho capito una cosa...chi vinse!??!?!!?

[Lifeofmusic90]

@xskremniotis Yes!! the second act remember don giovanni and così fan tutte!!!!

[tyrelroo]

Why are we arguing about an excellent-on-its-own, but otherwise purely fictional, movie, when we could just be enjoying the neglected music of Mozart's friend and less-performed contemporary?

[CharlieDraper]

@alan78456able I'd like to point out that Mozart wrote 'Apollo et Hyacinthus' when he was eleven...

[revolutionsetude]

@Trickroad

Bravo!

[Ardolino21]

@anasalwash you are an idiot for mentioning Amadeus. Amadeus is a fictional film based on real characters.With a terrible American actor who played Mozart, disrespectful if you ask me. The only thing that is good about that film is it brought Salieri's music back into the popular domain...plus. You say it is simple compared to Mozart, I would like to know what you mean there...some Chopin night songs are 'simple' so where does he stand?