Singspiel rather than by established companies within metropolitan centers. Mozart wrote several Singspiele: "Bastien und Bastienne" (1768), "Zaide" (1780), "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" (1782), "Der Schauspieldirektor" (1786), and finally "Die Zauberflöte" (1791). E. T. A. Hoffmann, who admired him, composed Singspiele, such as "Liebe und Eifersucht" in 1807. In 1927, Kurt Weill created a new word, "Songspiel", to describe his work "Mahagonny-Songspiel". Notes Sources Singspiel A Singspiel (; plural: Singspiele; literally "sing-play") is a form of German-language music drama, now regarded as a genre of opera. It is characterized by spoken dialogue, which is alternated with ensembles, songs, ballads, and
The Diary of a Madman (opera) The Diary of a Madman (opera) The Diary of a Madman is a one-act chamber opera by the composer Humphrey Searle. It is based on the short story of the same name by Nikolai Gogol. The opera was premiered in 1958 in Berlin. The libretto is by the composer. The work, which is the first of Searle's operas, was commissioned by Hermann Scherchen, then the director of the Berlin Festival. Scherchen gave Searle complete choice of subject, stipulating only that the orchestra be of no more than 15 players, and that there should be no more than four singing roles.