Old School Orientalism

Detail from The Turkish Bath (1862) by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres

On this date in 1782, Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio was premiered.

It's a fun opera, with many impressive arias and clever compositional techniques. But what always captures my interest is how it illustrates European fascination with "oriental" culture. Harems, eastern despots, and exotic customs, these are some of the hallmarks of the genre, frequently played for laughs.

And for erotic imaginings. The "Orient" was an almost fantastic place where Reason and Order were overwhelmed by the sensual and the decadent. So, artists and composers rose to the challenge of satisfying European desires for this Dionysian vision, filled with spices and odalisques.

Detail from The Women of Algiers (1834) by Eugene Delacroix

So, I figured we could look at a few classic images and listen to some music evocative of Oriental fantasies.

Cosi Fan Tutte

Posthumous Portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1819) by Barbara Krafft

In my youth, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was second-to-none my favorite composer. From his great choral works, such as the Requiem, to his operas, especially Don Giovanni, and across his instrumental repertoire, I could not get enough of his music. It was an inspiration.

Over the years, my adoration for Mozart's music has remained steady, although I've gone through fads where another composer would become my favorite. And, to this day, I am still enthralled by certain pieces, though familiar, seemingly ever fresh, graceful, and gallant.

Through music, Mozart takes us on a grand tour of human emotion, from playful irreverence to prideful damnation, from courtly elegance to profound religiosity.

Unfinished Portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1789) by Josef Lange

So, on the occasion of his birth date, born in 1756, let's listen to some music.