Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots : The duty of the First Commandment: go big or go home !

 

In a dazzling start to his career, at the tender of eleven, Mozart composed his first sacred opera: Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebotes (The Duty of the First Commandment). It is a work in three parts, only the first of which was composed by Mozart; the other two (composed Michael Haydn and Anton Cajetan Adlgasser) remain lost.

 

Bursting with youthful energy, this piece explores the themes of divine justice and redemption through a captivating operatic vocal composition. The voices come together in impassioned arias, expressing the struggle between good and evil with surprising depth for a young composer. It already bears the aesthetic and artistic signature that Mozart would soon make his own: no half-heartedness, no half-measures in the gallery of characters he was about to bring to life in his operas; rather, a sharp insight into their psyches and a finesse and depth in his analysis of their passions, which would remain unequalled in the history of lyric theatre. One cannot help but be dazzled by the prowess of the orchestral composition and the mastery of the vocal writing – quite astounding for a boy of barely eleven !

 

Commissioned by the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg for the Easter celebrations in 1767, The Duty of the First Commandment is rooted in a historical context where sacred music played a central role in the cultural and religious life of the period. Amid the artistic effervescence of Salzburg, this young prodigy transcended the expectations of the court and the Church, revealing a precocious talent and an innovative vision. He demonstrated his musical genius right from this début, offering moments of dramatic intensity and heralding his glorious future in the world of opera, promising the start of a legendary career that was to set the world of music on fire.

 

Royal Opera / Château de Versailles Spectacles Production, Ensemble Il Caravaggio.

This show is supported by the Françoise Kahn-Hamm Endowment Fund.

 

 

Sacred drama in three acts, libretto by Ignatz Anton von Weiser, first performed in Salzburg in 1767.

 

Show in German with French surtitles.

PRESTIGE VIP CATEGORY: Best seats in house with complimentary glass of champagne and programme.

 

PRESTIGE CATEGORY: Excellent seats with complimentary glass of champagne and programme.

 

REDUCED RATE: applicable to under 26s, Chateau de Versailles Spectacles card holders and groups of more than 10 people (excluding special company offer).

 

GROUP RATES: for more information, please refer to our page dedicated to works councils and groups.

 

In case of any technical problem, the box office service remains available to complete your order by phone at +33 (0)1 30 83 78 89 (Monday-Friday from 11am to 6pm) or in our box office-shop (3 bis rue des Réservoirs, 78000 Versailles ; Monday-Friday from 11am to 6pm, and on Saturdays with concerts or shows except during the Musical Fountains Shows, from 2pm to 5pm).

 

To ensure the best welcome possible, people with limited mobility are advised to book their seats by telephone.