Opera and Laughter
1,293 views · Published 28 January 2010 · 39:13 · Indexed 26 September 2026
Channel: Chicago Humanities · 2010 · Music
http://chicagohumanities.org - See more Chicago Humanities Festival events. In 1783, W. A. Mozart composed the music and plot for a commedia dellarte pantomime intended for Vienna's upcoming carnival season. Although written for string quartet, only the first violin part and the sketchiest outline of his scenario survive. In this session, University of Chicago faculty present an excerpt of Mozart's pantomime and a conversation centered on opera and laughter as they relate to performance, audience, politics, and improvisational comedy in the 18th century. Participants include faculty members Martha Feldman, David Levin, and Roger Moseley. The ensemble Impromptu performs the pantomime. Directed by Moseley, Impromptu comprises student and faculty participants of the university's ongoing historically inspired musical improvisation workshop.
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