Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The Abduction from the Seraglio

Wonderful! But, aren't there too many notes?' asked the emperor Joseph II. 'No, all notes are necessary. This is new music, ' replied Mozart. This is a famous anecdote about the premiere of the opera Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio), which took place on July 16, 1782 at the Burgtheater Wien (Vienna). It illustrates Mozart's ambition and self-confidence. Throughout Mozart's lifetime, Die Entführung aus dem Serail was his most successful work outside of Vienna. It is still a much-performed opera. Tohru Takahashi has made a lively arrangement of the overture in its original key, C major. It will sound even better if your band has Turkish percussion instruments at its disposal.