Page "Antonio Salieri" Paragraph 15

After the financial collapse of the Italian opera company in 1777 due to financial mis-management, Joseph II decided to end the performance of Italian opera, French spoken drama, and ballet.

Instead the two court owned theaters would be reopened under new management, and partly subsidized by the Imperial Court, as a new National Theater.

The re-launched theaters would promote German language plays and musical productions that reflected Austrian ( or as Joseph II would have said ) German values, traditions and outlook.

The Italian opera buffa company was therefore replaced by a German language Singspiel troupe.

For Joseph and his supports of Imperial reform, besides encouraging any first buddings of pan-national pride that would unite his multi-lingual and ethnic subjects under one common language ; they also hoped to save a considerable amount of money in the process.

Beginning in 1778 Emperor wished to have new works, in German, composed by his own subjects and brought on the stage with clear Imperial support.

This in effect left Salieri's role as assistant court composer in a much reduced position.

Salieri also had never truly mastered the German language, and he now felt no longer competent to continue as assistant opera director.

A further blow to his career was landed when the spoken drama and musical Singspiel were placed on an equal footing.

For the young composer there would be few, if any, new compositional commissions to receive from the court.

Salieri was left with few financial options and he began casting about for new opportunities.