Mozart the Dramatist

Brigid Brophy's passionate and profoundly original analysis of Mozart's operatic genius offers a thrilling dive into the psychological and dramatic architecture of the composer's most famous works. Organized thematically, the text provides brilliant readings of the five canonical operas, from Die Entführung aus dem Serail to Die Zauberflöte, with a later preface expanding the scope to include Idomeneo and La Clemenza di Tito. Brophy's approach is anything but a standard musical analysis, instead framing Mozart as a master dramatist whose works pulse with complex human emotion and narrative depth.

What makes this study so distinctive is its rich interdisciplinary framework, weaving together psychoanalysis, classical myth, and a sharp literary sensibility to decode the operas' enduring power. This is not a book for the casual listener but for the reader who wants to understand the profound psychological currents and character motivations beneath the sublime music. Brophy’s intellectual passion is contagious, making this a compelling and thought-provoking read that will forever change how you experience Mozart’s stage works.