Der Schauspieldirektor

Der Schauspieldirektor (The Impresario), K. 486, is a comic singspiel by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, set to a German libretto by Gottlieb Stephanie, an Austrian Schauspieldirektor.

Mozart, who describes it as "comedy with music" wrote it as his entry in a musical competition which was given a private performance hosted on 7 February 1786 by Joseph II at the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. This competition pitted a German singspiel, presented at one end of the room, against a competing Italian opera, the Italian entry being Antonio Salieri's opera buffa, Prima la musica e poi le parole, which was then given at the other end of the room. The premiere was followed by the first of three public performances given four days later at the Kärntnertor Theater, Vienna, on 11 February.

Musical numbers

 * "Da schlägt die Abschiedsstunde" - Madame Herz
 * "Bester Jüngling!" - Mademoiselle Silberklang
 * "Ich bin die erste Sängerin" - Madame Herz, Mademoiselle Silberklang, Monsieur Vogelsang
 * "Jeder Künstler strebt nach Ehre" - Madame Herz, Mademoiselle Silberklang, Monsieur Vogelsang, Buff