Description
Book SynopsisShortly after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart''s death, his widow Constanze sent a manuscript copy of one of his most beloved operas, Die Zauberflöte, to the court of the Elector of Cologne. It was eventually published by Nicolaus Simrock in 1814 as the first full-score edition. However, the question still remains as to why this early copy in her possession diverges from Mozart''s autograph in so many libretto details. The Authentic Magic Flute Libretto: Mozart''s Autograph or the First Full-Score Edition? investigates the origin and claim to authenticity of the first full-score edition of Die Zauberflöte, drawing attention to the close bond between words and music. Michael Freyhan brings the subtlety of the first edition word setting to the attention of scholars, musicians, and opera-lovers, setting out the evidence for its authenticity and detailing the quest, pursued in 15 countries, for the earliest possible historical sources. Freyhan examines the differences between the first edition an
