Life of Mozart

—238 " COSi FAN TUTTE."September 29. Quintet for clarinet, two violins, viola, andvioloncello, in A major (581 K.) ; first played in public at theconcert for the funds of the Pension, December 22, 1789.^October. Aria in the opera" II Burbero," for Mdlle. Villeneuve," Chi sä, chi sä qual sia " (582 K.).Ditto, " Vado ! ma dove ? " (583 K.).December, An air which was intended for Benucci in the opera" Cosi fan Tutte," " Rivolgete ä me lo sguardo " (584 K.).Twelve minuets (585 K.) and twelve waltzes (586 K.).The prospect which was known to have been opened tohim in Berlin may have had some effect in causing " Figaro "to be again placed on the stage in August. At the requestof the prima donna, Madame Adriana Ferraresi del Bene,who had made her first appearance on October 13, 1788,Mozart wrote the grand air (577 K.).^For Louise Villeneuvehe composed, during the following month, three airs forinsertion in different operas (578, 582, 583, K.), perhapswith some view to his own new opera, in which Mdlle.Villeneuve was to appear. The approbation with which therevival of "Figaro" was received^ no doubt suggested to theEmperor to commission Mozart to write a new opera. " Itwas not in his power," says Niemetschek (p. 43), "to declinethe commission, and the libretto was provided him withoutconsultation of his wishes."^ It was " Cosi fan Tutte, osiala Scuola degli Amanti," by Da Ponte.^ Mozart was busilyengaged on it in December, 178g; and in January, 1790, it isentered in his catalogue as completed ; it was first performedon January 26, with the following cast :'^2 N. Wien. Mus. Ztg., 1852, No. 35.8 Wien. Ztg.; 1788, October 15, No. 83, p. 2,541.* From August 29, when " Figaro " was first placed on the stage, it was giveneleven times (August 31 ; September 2, 11, ig ; October 3, 9, 24; November 5,13,;27) fifteen times in 1790, and three times in 1791.s Fr. Heinse (Reise- und Lebensskizzen, I., p. 184) mentions a rumour that astory current in Vienna at the time concerning two officers and their mistressesfurnished the subject for the opera, which was adopted by the express desire ofthe Emperor.ß Da Ponte mentions it only briefly (Mem., II., p. 109).' In the Wien. Ztg., 1790, No. 9, Anh., the date is printed, " Mittwoch,16 Januar."