Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was widely known in Vienna, but the coveted permanent employment as court composer at the imperial court of Joseph II was held by the older Antonio Salieri. The natural competition between the two musicians was the talk of the Viennese society and, unsurprisingly, an idea of Emperor Joseph II in spring 1786 was the talk of the day.

The emperor invited both musicians to participate in a public opera competition. Both were to compose a one act opera, to be performed consecutively. Both works told the stories of intrigues at the opera. The occasion was a visit of Joseph’s sister Archduchess Marie Christine and her husband, Duke Albrecht von Sachsen-Teschen, from Brussels. The competition was to be held in front of hundreds of guests during a spring festival at the orangery of Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna.

Mozart had to compose the musical comedy “The Impresario”, Salieri an Italian opera buffa – “Prima la musica e poi le parole”. It was a splendid evening for the guests in the tropical atmosphere of the orangery, great food was served and the high society amused itself – unfortunately, at Mozart’s expense.