The Abduction from the Seraglio was the earliest of Mozart's five most famous operas, which include The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Così Fan Tutte and The Magic Flute, and the first work he was to write for the Viennese stage, where it was successfully premiered in the summer of 1782. Written in the comparatively unsophisticated form of "Singspiel" — in which most of the action takes place in spoken dialogue, followed by songs in which the characters express their inner feelings — it does not rely for its effects on Mozart's genius for dramatic music, revealed more fully in his later works. Rather, it radiates an abundance of musical charm, youthful high spirits, and spontaneous good humor, evergreen qualities that have made it one of the most engaging and least pretentious masterpieces in the history of opera.
It is an extremely challenging work for singers, technically beyond the vocal means of many of even the finest operatic performers. Because it has been difficult to assemble ideal casts, worthy productions of The Abduction from the Seraglio have been fewer than for Mozart's other major operas. By means of excellent recordings, however, modern audiences have come to appreciate fully its truly superlative qualities.
This fine edition has been reproduced from an authoritative Breitkopf & Härtel edition, printed on durable paper and sturdily bound for a lifetime of pleasurable use. With it, students and lovers of classical music can study the score intimately, increasing their enjoyment of performances of this splendid comic opera.