Life of Mozart

2g2LABOUR AND POVERTY.Both the plot and the characters are absolutely devoid ofdramatic interest. The abstract goodness of Titus, who isready on every occasion to pardon and to yield, rouses nosympathy ,^^ and is dramatically mischievous in its effects,since it destroys any sort of suspense. Publius, Annius andServilia are mere props in the plot, characters without anyindividuality. Sextus is a purely passive instrument, waveringbetween love and remorse, without force or decision.should sympathise with him ifWehis love for Vitellia were returned,and if a healthy passion gave an impulse to hiscrime ; but his weakness, which prevents his being awarethat he is only the instrument of her selfish passion, depriveshim of all sympathy, while Vitellia repels us by her barefacedambition, to which she is ready to sacrifice every sentimentand every duty ; her remorse comes too late to appearanything but a dissonance leading to the inevitable conclusionof the plot. This internal weakness in the charactersis emphasised by Metastasio's poetical treatment of the plot.His dainty style was specially suited for court poetry and itscorresponding musical expression, and his dexterity in thehandling of the accepted forms of composition made his taska comparatively easy one. But even without taking intoaccount the revolution which had taken place in the drama,we may judge from "Figaro" and " Don Giovanni " thatwhat in Metastasio's time was of advantage to the composerhad now become fetters binding him to forms anddogmas which were virtually obsolete. We find tracesthroughout of the opera seria, which Mozart had abandonedlong ago, but which he was constrained here to resume.Metastasio's graceful daintiness of style, too, was even moreinjurious in the taste it encouraged for mere amusement ofthe trifling kind that was looked for at the opera at that time,giving an unseemly effeminacy of tone to the opera seria,and running an equal risk of degenerating into mere triflingor empty pomp and show. If, in addition to this, it be rememberedthat Mozart's express directions were to composean occasional, a festival opera, for which two singers had** Zelter, Briefw. m. Goethe, III., p. 26.