| Prima la musica e poi le parole | |
|---|---|
| Opera by Antonio Salieri | |
 Antonio Salieri, 1802 engraving | |
| Librettist | Giovanni Battista Casti |
| Language | Italian |
| Premiere | 7 February 1786 Orangery of Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna |
Prima la musica e poi le parole (First the music and then the words)[1] is an opera in one act by Antonio Salieri to a libretto by Giovanni Battista Casti. The work was first performed on 7 February 1786 in Vienna, following a commission by the Emperor Joseph II.[2] The opera (more specifically, a divertimento teatrale) was first performed at one end of the orangery of the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna by an Italian troupe; simultaneously, Mozart's Der Schauspieldirektor was staged at the other end.
The title of the opera is the theme of Richard Strauss's opera Capriccio which debates the relative importance of music and drama in opera.
The autograph manuscript of the opera is preserved in the Austrian National Library.[3]
- ^ Also called Prima la musica, poi le parole
- ^ "Salieri: Prima la musica e poi le parole" by Jane Schatkin Hettrick at Opera Today, 19 February 2008
- ^ Autograph score, Austrian National Library