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"13 May,Wednesday. In the morning short schools on account of phlebotomy. After
dinner was given the Syntaxists' comedy written by the Very Reverend Professor, and
by desire performed by his students, which gave me the greatest pleasure. I
congratulate the Professor on the public applause. The music for it, composed by
Wolfgang Mozart, a youngster of eleven, delighted everybody, and at night he gave us
notable proofs of his musical art at the harpsichord."
So read the minutes for the Salzburg Gymnasium, marking the success of the
traditional end-of-term student drama. Mozart, of course, was never a student there;
all of his schooling was provided by his father, Leopold. But he was familiar with
the university. As a 6-year-old, he had appeared as an extra in its production of the
Latin drama Sigimundus Hungariae Rex.
Since then, Mozart and his family had completed their "grand tour." During his
three-and-a-half year absence from Salzburg, his musical ability had been celebrated
all over Europe. So it was only natural that the university would award him an
important local commission.
The text was provided by Father Rufinus Widl, professor of syntax at the university.
He wrote a Latin tragedy, Clementia Croesi, to be performed by his students. He also
wrote a Latin intermedio, Apollo et Hyacinthus seu Hyacinthi Metamorphosis, to be
performed between the acts of the spoken drama.Widl borrowed his story for Apollo
et Hyacinthus from a passage of Ovid's Metamorphoses.
Here is how Ovid tells it: The god Apollo, also known as Phoebus, was "passionately
fond" of his companion, a Spartan youth named Hyacinthus. One day they went to
compete at the discus: Phoebus was first; and when he poised and cast,The mounting
metal through the cloud bank passed,And falling back to earth, though long
delayed,Revealed what strength could do, with skill to aid.
Then Hyacinthus, on his turn intent,To take the discus up too hasty
went:Rebounding from the rocklike ground, it rose,And struck his face: down in a
heap he goes.
Tradition adds that Hyacinthus was not killed by accident: He was murdered by
Zephyrus, the West Wind, who also loved Apollo and was jealous of Hyacinthus.
Zephyrus blew the discus off course and into Hyacinthus' face. The wound was fatal
and, try as he might, Apollo could not save his friend from dying. In order that he
might be remembered, Apollo caused him to be transformed into a flower,
the hyacinth.
Converting Ovid's story of Apollo and Hyacinthus into a boys' school music drama
must have been problematic, at best. But the good Father Widl was not deterred. To
disguise its overtly homosexual theme he introduced several new characters,
including Melia, sister of Hyacinthus, who could now conveniently serve as the
subject of Apollo and Zephyrus' affections. (Ironically, because there were no female
students at the university, that character would have to be sung by a boy.)
Modern audiences probably would not appreciate the practice of inserting parts of a
music drama between the acts of a spoken drama. For one thing, it added more than
an hour to the length of the production. But people in 18th-century Salzburg must
have expected a full evening's entertainment and, besides,Mozart's music may have
provided welcome relief from the dry text of Clementia Croesi.
Dramatis personae:
Oebalus, King of Lacedaemonia (tenor)
Melia, daughter of Oebalus (soprano)
Hyacinthus, son of Oebalus (soprano)
Apollo (alto)
Zephyrus, friend of Hyacinthus (alto)
Two priests of Apollo (bass)
Synopsis: The setting is in ancient Greece.
Act I
The intermedeo opens with a short recitative. Oebalus and his son, Hyacinthus, are
preparing an offering to the god Apollo. Zephyrus, who is no friend of Apollo, argues
that sacrifices should be made to other gods as well.
Zephyrus' words anger Apollo, and even a brief chorus sung in the god's honor does
not satisfy him. He sends a thunderbolt to spill the sacrificial wine, extinguish the fire
and scatter everyone who has gathered there. Hyacinthus, however, is not alarmed:
The gods, he sings, "become attached to humans, whilst conserving their authority,
through both gentleness and threat."
Apollo suddenly appears in the guise of a shepherd. He identifies himself and declares
that he wishes to marry Hyacinthus' sister,Melia. "Alas!" cries Zephyrus, "Apollo thus
robs me of the one I love!"
Act II
Oebalus and Melia express their happiness over their good fortune. "Our home will
be one of gods," sayd Oebalus.When Melia asks where Apollo has gone, he replies
that he is playing discus in the field with Hyacinthus and Zephyrus.
Zephyrus returns with terrible news: Hyacinthus has been struck and killed by a
discus that was thrown by Apollo. Oebalus departs to find his son. In an aside,
Zephyrus admits that he is the one who killed Hyacinthus.When Apollo appears the
god is so angry that he causes Zephyrus to be borne away by the wind. But Melia is
not convinced of Apollo's innocence and, in a duet that is one of the work's high
points, bids him to leave and never return.
Act III
Oebalus find his son, still alive, "on the banks of the Eurotas." Before he breathes his
last, Hyacinthus tells his father that Zephyrus is the one who threw the discus. Melia
arrives with the news that she has ordered Apollo to leave the kingdom. After Oebalus
explains that Zephyrus killed her brother, they become fearful that they have
permanently offended Apollo, on whose protection the kingdom depends. "Alas!
What a disastrous day!" They sing a duet that Charles Osborne calls "perhaps the
finest number in the score, expressive and imaginatively scored."
Their worries are unfounded. Apollo, drawn back "out of love for Hyacinthus,"
returns and causes his friend to be transformed into a flower. He forgives Oebalus,
and assures Melia of his love. The king grants Apollo Melia's hand in marriage; all
three express their joy in a concluding trio.
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