Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots (complete title in historical spelling: Die Schuldigkeit Des ersten und fürnehmsten Gebottes; The Obligation of the First and Foremost Commandment), K.

Köchel-Verzeichnis

The Köchel-Verzeichnis is a complete, chronological catalogue of compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart which was originally created by Ludwig von Köchel. It is abbreviated K or KV. For example, Mozart's Requiem in D minor was, according to Köchel's counting, the 626th piece Mozart composed....

 35, is a sacred musical play (geistliches Singspiel) composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...

 in 1767 when he was 11 years old. It is Mozart's first opera or, more specifically, sacred drama, as is suggested by the name. The libretto

Libretto

A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...

 is now attributed to Ignaz Anton von Weiser, although Johann Adam Wieland or Jakob Anton Marianus Wimmer had been suggested earlier. (The title page of the libretto ascribes it only to "J.A.W.".)

Only the first part of the opera was composed by Mozart; the second and third parts were contributed by Michael Haydn

Michael Haydn

Johann Michael Haydn was an Austrian composer of the classical period, the younger brother of Joseph Haydn.-Life:...

 and Anton Cajetan Adlgasser

Anton Cajetan Adlgasser

Anton Cajetan Adlgasser was a German organist and composer at Salzburg Cathedral and at court, and composed a good deal of liturgical music as well as oratorios and orchestral and keyboard works.Born in Inzell, Bavaria, he moved to Salzburg, where he studied under Johann Ernst Eberlin...

 respectively. However, these other two parts have not survived.

Part I of the opera was first performed on March 12, 1767 in the Knight's Hall of the Palace of the Archbishop, Salzburg

Salzburg

-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...

. Part II was performed on March 19, and Part III on March 26.

Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, March 12, 1767 (Conductor: - )
Gerechtigkeit, divine justice	soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...	Maria Anna Braunhofer Maria Anna Braunhofer Maria Anna Braunhofer was an operatic soprano, who created several roles in operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart....
Christgeist, spirit of Christianity	tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...	Anton Franz Spitzeder
Barmherzigkeit, divine mercy	soprano	Maria Magdalena Lipp
Ein lauer und hinnach eifriger Christ, a half-hearted but later zealous Christian	tenor	Joseph Meissner
Weltgeist, worldliness	soprano	Maria Anna Fesemayer

External links

Libretto