Did Mozart Write a Ballet?
Mozart is one of the most famous composers in the history of classical music, and his works span a wide range of genres. He wrote symphonies, operas, chamber music, and many other types of music.
But did he write a ballet? The answer is yes – although it was not one of his most popular compositions.
Mozart composed a single ballet score in 1791 titled “Les Petits Riens” (“The Little Things”). It was commissioned by Marie Antoinette and performed at the Paris Opera House.
The choreography was created by Noverre and the libretto was written by Moline. It tells the story of two young lovers who overcome various obstacles to be reunited in the end.
Mozart wrote “Les Petits Riens” to be used as an entr’acte (an intermission between acts) for an opera, but he also composed pieces specifically for use in ballets. These pieces were not as well-known or as popular as his symphonies or operas, but they were still part of his oeuvre.
For example, he wrote scores for ballets such as “The Chinese Festival” (1785) and “The Turkish Festival” (1790). In both cases, he wrote them to accompany performances at Vienna’s Burgtheater.
Mozart also wrote several divertimentos which could be used for ballet performances; these are lighter works that don’t have any specific plot or story attached to them. They are more akin to concert pieces than actual ballets – but they nevertheless demonstrate Mozart’s ability to compose for this genre.
His divertimentos include “Divertimento No. 3 in G Major” (1781) and “Divertimento No. 6 in F Major” (1784).
Although Mozart didn’t compose many ballets during his lifetime, there have been several attempts to create new works based on his existing compositions since then. For example, choreographer John Neumeier has created ballets that are based on Mozart’s music such as “Mozartiana” (1981) and “Requiem/Totenmesse” (1991). There have also been adaptations of existing works such as Maurice Béjart’s version of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozarts’ opera “Cosi Fan Tutte” which premiered at La Scala in Milan in 2007.
So while it is true that Mozart didn’t compose many ballets during his lifetime, there is still evidence that he had at least some interest in this genre – even if it didn’t become one of his best-known works.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Mozart did indeed write a ballet titled “Les Petits Riens”, and although it wasn’t as widely known or appreciated compared to other genres he composed for such as symphonies or operas, there is evidence that he had some interest in writing for this genre with other pieces like divertimentos being used for ballet performances after his death.