The middle of the 18th century, when Haydn appeared upon the stage of musical history, presented an unusually intricate phase in the development of musical art. Haydn is named “the Father of Symphony” or “the Father of String Quartet”. But in the branch of Instrumental music as well as Opera, Haydn was great pioneer.
Haydn wrote the music to a Singspiel entitled Der krumme Teufel (1752?). It seemed natural that the Young musician, saturated with vocal, especially operatic music, should take up the career of an opera composer, the major field of musical activity of his time. After, a short stay in Count Morzin’s service, Haydn was appointed conductor of the orchestra and opera director of Eszterhàzy. The most important among his operas, Lo Speciale (1768), L’infedlità delusa (1773), Il mondo della Luna (1777), La Vera Constanza (1779), L’isola disabitata (1779), La fedeltà premiata (1780), Orlando Paladino (1782), Armida (1783) and L’anima del filosofo (or Orfeo ed Euridice, 1791).
I illuminated the L’infedeltà delusa among the Haydn’s operas. L’infedeltà delusa was first performed on 26 July 1773 at the Exterhàza theatre for the name day of princess Maria Anna. L’infedeltà delusa may be considered the first of Haydn’s major operatic works. Marco Coltellini, whose libretti were also set by Gluck and Mozart, succeeded Metastasio as ‘poeta Caesareo’ at the imperial court in Vienna in 1769. His libretto of L’infedeltà delusa rejects entirely the more usual nobility and deities of contemporary opera in favour of a cast of simple rustics who enact an unadorned story of amorous manoeuvres. What it lacks in dramatic complexity and subtlety, it more than makes up for in charm and a score of the highest quality, maintaining colorful variety and sensitivity throughout its modest length. While the characters are treated equally, it is ultimately the wily Vespina who dominates, adopting an enterprising and outrageous series of disguises (anticipating Despina in Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte) and eventually outwitting the deceit of the inconstant Nencio, whom she is nevertheless happy to marry. As always in Haydn’s Music, what delights is a transparency of texture which never becomes simplistic, and a rhythmic energy and harmonic richness which keep the music constant alive and engaging.
Haydn is changed in taste of opera works from singspiel and opera buffa to opera seria so far as the oratorios. That is, a career which began in the domain of light opera came to an end in the admirable, exceedingly vital choruses of the oratorio. The solid edifice which rises between them is instrumental music. I hope that the position of Haydn’s operas is restored, and be lively adapted to present stage.