The best thing of all is when a good composer, who understands the stage and is talented enough to make sound suggestions, meets an able poet, that true phoenix in that case, no fears need be entertained as to the applause – even of the ignorant. An opera is sure of success when the plot is well worked out, the words written solely for the music and not shoved in here and there to suit some miserable rhyme. Why are Italian comic operas popular everywhere – in spite of the miserable libretti? … Because the music reigns supreme, and when one listens to it all else is forgotten. I would say that in an opera the poetry must be altogether the obedient daughter of the music. He wrote to his father (13 October 1781): It was around this time that Mozart articulated his views about the role of the composer and the librettist in the preparation of an opera. However, it was ultimately decided to perform operas by Gluck instead, giving Mozart more time. Īt first Mozart thought he needed to finish his opera in only two months, because tentative plans were made to perform it at the September visit of the Russian Grand Duke Paul (son of Catherine the Great and heir to the Russian throne).
A letter to his father Leopold indicates he was excited about the prospect of having his opera performed in Vienna and worked enthusiastically on his project. He had few opportunities to compose professionally during the summer and he set to work on the libretto at a very rapid pace, finishing three major numbers in just two days. Mozart received the libretto from Stephanie on 29 July 1781. Bretzner later complained loudly and publicly about the theft. Stephanie complied by preparing an altered version of an earlier work Belmont und Constanze, oder Die Entführung aus dem Serail without attributing or seeking permission from its original author Christoph Friedrich Bretzner. With this backing, it was agreed that Stephanie would find appropriate material and prepare a libretto for Mozart. Mozart also made a strong impression on the manager of the theater, Count Franz Xaver Orsini-Rosenberg, when in the home of Mozart's friend and patroness Maria Wilhelmine Thun the Count heard him play excerpts from his opera Idomeneo, premiered with great success the previous year in Munich. To this end, he brought a copy of his earlier unfinished opera Zaide and showed it to Stephanie, who was duly impressed.
When the 25-year-old Mozart arrived in Vienna in 1781, seeking professional opportunity, one of the first tasks to which he addressed himself was to become acquainted with Stephanie and lobby him for an opera commission. The inspector of the Nationalsingspiel was Gottlieb Stephanie.