Duets in Viennese Singspiels by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf and Opera Buffa

The present article examines the ensemble technique of Carl Dittersdorf in the duets of his Viennese Singspiels. In 1786, the premier of his Singspiel Doktor und Apotheker had such a great success that it had even eclipsed Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro in the eyes of his contemporaries. This recognition was due to the genre of German comic opera, renewed by Dittersdorf with opera buffa elements. As a signature component of the latter, ensemble scenes and, in particular, duets had formed an organic part of his Singspiels. The long-awaited union of lovers, the comical clash of enemies, the extended dialogue of friends comforting each other — all the variety of duets fits into the Italian model. The article aims to use the example of duets from his three German comic operas written for the Viennese stage: Doktor und Apotheker (1786), Die Liebe im Narrenhause (1787), and Hieronymus Knicker (1789) for tracing the consistency in reproducing this tradition. The influence of Italian comic opera on the forms of duets, as well as their compositional structure and connection with the stage situation and characters’ features are examined. Keywords: Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf, Doktor und Apotheker, Die Liebe im Narrenhause, Hieronymus Knicker, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, German comic opera, Viennese Singspiel, opera buffa, duet, ensemble, musical forms, composition For citation: Bubeeva, S. B. (2025). Duets in Viennese Singspiels by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf and Opera Buffa. Contemporary Musicology, 9(1), 29―53. https://doi.org/10.56620/2587-9731-2025-1-029-053