Statue of Sethos, the only role Mozart named for the play

Thamos, King of Egypt (or King Thamos; in German, Thamos, König in Ägypten) is a play by Tobias Philipp, baron von Gebler, for which, between 1773 and 1780, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote incidental music, K. 345/336a, of an operatic character.

The autograph manuscript of the work is preserved in the Berlin State Library.

Early performances

It is not known for certain whether the music that Mozart composed was performed with the play during his lifetime. The play's première took place at the Kärntnertortheater in Vienna, probably on 4 April 1774, by which time two choruses had been written. Performances in Salzburg in 1776 and 1779-80 may have incorporated the orchestral interludes and the three choruses in their final form, respectively. The music was re-used in 1783 in a different play (set in India, not Egypt), Lanassa, by Karl Martin Plümicke.

Roles

The only named role in Mozart's music is Sethos, the high priest (baritone). There are parts for four other soloists (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) and for a chorus of priests and priestesses.

Synopsis

Thamos has succeeded his father, Ramesses, as king of Egypt, but Ramesses had usurped the throne from the rightful king, Menes, who is now disguised as the high priest, Sethos. Thamos loves Sais, a priestess, but she is really Menes' daughter Tharsis, for whom the high priestess Mirza is plotting marriage to Pheron, a treacherous general. When Menes reveals his true identity, Pheron is struck by lightning and Mirza kills herself. Menes cedes his crown to Thamos and Tharsis as all ends happily.

Literary sources

King Thamos is an imaginary character, but it is likely his character was inspired by Thamus, mythical Pharaoh of Upper Egypt mentioned by Socrates in the Platonic dialogue Phaedrus.[1]

Musical numbers

Recordings

  • Theo Adam, Eberhard Buchner, Karin Eickstaedt, Dietrich Knothe, Gisela Pohl, Hermann Christian Polster, Staatskapelle Berlin, Rundfunk-Solistenvereiningung Berlin, conductor Bernhard Klee. Philips CD, 422 525.
  • Alastair Miles, Angela Kazimierczuk, Paul Tindall, Julian Clarkson, English Baroque Soloists, Monteverdi Choir, conductor: John Eliot Gardiner. Polygram CD, EAN: 0028943755627. Also contains an appendix with Mozart's earlier versions of nos. 1, 6 and 7.
  • Diego Fasolis, Coro Della Radio Svizzera, I Barocchisti. RTSI MultiMedia.
  • Laurence Equilbey dirigiert Mozarts Frühwerk
  • Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra on Teldec, probably the finest recording that exists, from 1980. Unfortunately, the spectacular performance from 2004 with Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Gerd Böckmann was never released on cd.

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Dialogues of Plato, Benjamin Jowett translation (1892), vol. 2, p. 153
  • Holden, Amanda (Ed.), The New Penguin Opera Guide, New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001. ISBN 0-14-029312-4
  • Warrack, John and West, Ewan, The Oxford Dictionary of Opera New York: OUP: 1992 ISBN 0-19-869164-5
  • (Konzertmitschnitt vom 26. Juni 2018, Festival Seine Musicale, Boulogne-Billancourt.)
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