Joseph Haydn composed the opera Il mondo della luna in the summer of 1777, on the occasion of the wedding celebration of the second son of Prince Nikolaus Esterházy. In Carlo Goldoni’s libretto, the moon appears as a symbol of utopia—a place of freedom and equality—supposedly contrasting with the injustice reigning on Earth. The orchestral overture heralded an alternative musical style characterized by greater fluidity, melodic simplicity, rhythmic lightness, and homophonic textures. A few years later, this overture was reworked into the first movement of a symphony, Haydn’s Symphony No. 63.
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Emperor Joseph II was one of the European rulers who, at the end of the 18th century, put Enlightenment ideals into political action. He sought to improve administrative efficiency and promote equality before the law. In the arts, from the 1770s onwards, he gradually phased out the Italian opera companies under his patronage in favor of performances integrating music and drama sung (and spoken) in German. However, among the aristocracy of the time, Italian opera maintained its aura of prestige and sophistication. Prince Nikolaus Esterházy then installed a stage with scenic resources at the Eszterháza palace and, paradoxically, sponsored opera productions sung in Italian. But these were more than mere vocal displays or disjointed narratives. Joseph Haydn contributed something more, as evidenced in Il mondo della luna.
The libretto is a comedy of errors revolving around Buonafede, a naïve father caught in the scheme of Ecclitico, who poses as an astronomer to arrange the marriages of Buonafede and his friend Ernesto to the daughters Flaminia and Clarice. Deceived by sets forged through a telescope, Buonafede is convinced that there is civilization on the Moon… and agrees to travel there. While he is delirious from the effects of a potion, the plot unfolds. Upon awakening, he realizes that the “Moon” was actually Ecclitico’s garden. Ultimately, he consents to the daughters’ marriages.
The orchestral overture stands out for creating a cheerful and relaxed atmosphere. Over energetic rhythms and pronounced dynamic variations, impeccably balanced melodies unfold alongside crystal-clear orchestration, punctuated by judicious interventions from the various instrument families. It perfectly suits a playful yet ceremonial mood. It is a winning combination of entertainment and emotion.
Rui Campos Leitão