The abolition of encores by Joseph II

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On 9 May 1786, Emperor Joseph II wrote to Count Orsini-Rosenberg, the Director of the National Theatre:

To prevent the excessive duration of the operas, without however prejudicing the fame often sought by opera singers from the repitition of vocal pieces, I deem the enclosed notice to the public (that no piece for more than a single voice is to be repeated) to be the most reasonable expedient. You will therefore cause some posters to this effect to be printed. The same ruling is to be observed henceforth by the German Singspiel Company, and notice to this effect to be given.

This decree from the Emperor came just 9 days after the premiere of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, which, if we ignore Zinzendorf's usual unimpassioned opinion, was very well recieved. After hearing the opera, Franz Kazinczy wrote that 'the joy which this music causes is so far removed from all sensuality that one cannot speak of it.'

Michael Kelly in his 1826 Reminiscences, claimed that it was a direct result of the over zealous applause for Figaro that caused the application of the law by Joseph II:

At the end of the opera, I thought the audience would never have done applauding and calling for Mozart; almost every piece was encored, which prolonged it nearly to the length of two operas, and induced the Emperor to issue an order, on the second representation, that no piece of music should be encored. Never was anything more complete than the triumph of Mozart, and his Nozze di Figaro, to which numerous overflowing audiences bore witness.

The Emperor's law also stated the abolition of encores for more than one voice in Singspiels, yet at performances of Die Zauberflote in 1791, the audience's excitement forced Mozart to oblige. He wrote to his wife: 'I've just come back from the opera; - it was full as ever - The Duetto Man and Wife and the Glockenspiel in the first act had to be repeated as usual - the same was true of the boys' trio in the second act'.

It was obviously impossible to deny the audience more Mozart.

Thomas