Serenata in two acts after a libretto by Pietro Metastasio

At the same time in the same place: Exactly 250 years ago to the day, on 23 April 1775, Wolfgang Amadé Mozart conducted the concert premiere of his two-act serenata Il re pastore at the Prince Archbishop's Residenztheater in Salzburg.

Following the premiere of Mozart's La finta giardiniera in Munich in January of the same year, Prince Archbishop Hieronymus Count Colloredo had commissioned the new stage work from the then nineteen-year-old on the occasion of the forthcoming visit of Archduke Maximilian Franz, the youngest son of Empress Maria Theresa.

It was composed in just a few weeks and, with its colourful orchestration and emotional depth, more than hints at Mozart's later mastery as an opera composer.

At this sold-out performance on 23 April 2025, a top-class cast with Rolando Villazón celebrated the important anniversary musically at the original venue, the Knights' Hall of Salzburg Residenz.

Rolando Villazón, Alessandro
Emily Pogorelc, Aminta
Serena Sáenz, Elisa
Tamara Ivaniš, Tamiri
Zachary Wilder, Agenore

Camerata Salzburg

Giovanni Guzzo, concertmaster & conductor