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the opera with music by Mozart

The Jewel Box is a pasticcio opera constructed by Paul Griffiths out of various pieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Its mostly English libretto by Paul Griffiths includes new translations of most of the Italian language texts of the musical numbers. It was premiered by Opera North at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, on 19 February 1991. The conductor was Elgar Howarth, the director was Francisco Negrin and the designer was Anthony Baker.

Griffiths, realising that arias composed by Mozart for insertion in other composers' operas are seldom performed nowadays, worked up what he called "a jeu d'esprit" which also contained music from the composer's unfinished operas Lo sposo deluso and L'oca del Cairo and some of the arias which he had written for concert performances. This came to the attention of Nicholas Payne, General Director of Opera North, who scheduled its première for 1991, the year of the bicentenary of Mozart's death.

After the Nottingham premiere and subsequent performances in Opera North's territory of northern England, the opera was performed in the United States by Skylight Opera Theatre (1993), Wolf Trap Opera (1994), Chicago Opera Theater (1996), and New Jersey State Opera (1996). In England, it was revived by Bampton Classical Opera in 2006 for the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth, with the orchestra conducted by Edward Gardner.

Four characters from the commedia dell'arte (Dottore, Pantalone, Colombina and Pedrolino) open the opera with a quartet. There is no more music, so the Dottore summons the Composer, who, with the aid of a singer of tragic music and his own father, gradually works out how the opera should go. The opera ends with an epilogue sung by the Composer.

NumberDescriptionFirst lineSinger(s)SourceNotes1Overturefrom Lo sposo deluso, K.430Wind parts probably not by Mozart2QuartetColombina, Pedrolino, Dottore, Pantalonefrom Lo sposo delusoWind parts probably not by Mozart3Aria"You avow that you'll be faithful"Colombina"Voi avete un cor fedele", K.217possibly for insertion into Galuppi's Le nozze di Dorina4Aria"Can no one explain it? "Composer"Chi sà qual sia", K.582For insertion into Martín y Soler's Il burbero di buon cuore5Aria"Ah, se in ciel, benigne stelle"SingerK.583possibly an entr'acte for C. P. E. Bach's "Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu"6Aria"The goddess of fortune"Pedrolino"Si mostra la sorte", K.209probably for insertion into an opera buffa7Arietta"A kiss on the fingers"Pantalone"Un bacio di mano", K.541for insertion into Anfossi's Le gelosie fortunate8QuartetColombina, Pedrolino, Dottore, Pantalone"Mandina amabile", K.480for insertion into Francesco Bianchi's La villanella rapita9Recitative and aria"This is the one I'm seeking"Father"Alcandro, lo confesso", K.512concert aria10Aria"This young composer"Dottore"Clarice cara", K.256probably for insertion into Piccinni's L'astratto, ovvero Il giocator fortunato11Aria"Souls of greatness and noble spirits"Composer"Alma grande e nobil cor", K.578for insertion into Cimarosa's I due baroni di Rocca Azzurra12QuartetColombina, Pedrolino, Dottore, Pantalone"Dite almeno in che mancai", K.479for insertion as in no. 8 above

NumberDescriptionFirst lineSinger(s)SourceNotes13TrioColombina, Pantalone, Fatherfrom L'oca del Cairo, K.422scoring and completion possibly by Simon Mayr14Aria"Take a look at Pantalone"Pantalone"Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo", K.584, removed from Così fan tutte15Gigue"Eine kleine Gigue", K.57416Aria"Do not ask, in all compassion"Pedrolino"Per pietà, non ricercate" K.420for insertion into Anfossi's Il curioso indiscreto17Aria"No, che non sei capace"Singer"No, che non sei capace", K.419for insertion as in No. 16 above18Aria"Onward? Still further? "Composer"Vado, ma dove", K.583for insertion as in No. 4 above19Recitative and aria"Enough. It's over"Colombina"Basta! Vincesti", K.486aconcert aria20TrioColombina, Pedrolino, Pantalonefrom Lo sposo deluso21Aria"With due reverence and respect, sir"Dottore"Con ossequio, con rispetto", K.210probably for insertion as in No. 10 above22Two andantesa sketch for mechanical organ, K.615a, and a reprise from No. 1 abovethe first andante was adapted for orchestra by Elgar Howarth23Aria"By what this hand's creating"Father"Per questa bello mano", K.612concert aria with double bass obbligato24Aria"Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio! "SingerK.418for insertion as in No. 16 above25German DanceK.571, no. 626Epilogue"Now take my thanks"Composer"Nehmt meinen Dank", K.383concert aria