Understanding the Women of Mozart's Operas

The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte, and Die Zauberflöte by Mozart are explored in detail in Kristi Brown-Montesano's book, offering new interpretations of the female roles and tackling social, political, and cultural issues. Each character is seen as the subject of a story, not just an object or stock figure.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 344 pages
Publication date: 02 November 2021
Publisher: University of California Press

The Marriage of Figaro, a renowned opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, has long been a subject of debate among critics, historians, and directors. While Don Giovanni, the opera's title character, has garnered much attention, the female characters have often been overlooked or reduced to mere stereotypes. In her book, Kristi Brown-Montesano aims to rectify this imbalance by delving into the complex and multifaceted portrayals of women in Mozart's four most frequently performed operas: Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte, and Die Zauberflöte.

Each chapter in the book takes a close look at the music, libretto text, literary sources, and historical factors that shape the characters of these operas. Brown-Montesano challenges common assumptions and offers fresh interpretations, viewing each character as the subject of a story rather than merely the object of a hero's narrative or a stock figure of convention. From the amiable Zerlina to the awe-inspiring Queen of the Night to the calculating Despina, all of Mozart's women have something unique to say.

These readings also address provocative social, political, and cultural issues that are used in the operas to define positive and negative images of femininity. Revenge, power, seduction, resistance, autonomy, sacrifice, faithfulness, class, maternity, and sisterhood are among the themes explored. Brown-Montesano is keenly aware of the historical gap between the origins of these works and contemporary culture, and she discusses how attitudes about these concepts, both past and present, influence our appreciation of these fascinating representations of women.

Through her detailed exploration of the female roles in these operas, Brown-Montesano provides a new perspective on Mozart's work and offers a deeper understanding of the complex and diverse feminine characters that populate his operas. This book is a valuable contribution to the field of opera studies and will be of interest to scholars, students, and anyone who appreciates the power of music and literature to portray women in all their complexity and diversity.

Weight: 506g
Dimension: 235 x 277 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520385795