On 7 February 1786 a memorable operatic contest took place in the Orangery at Schonbrunn, which the emperor Joseph II himself initiated. The two opera ensembles resident in Vienna were to be judged: the Italian 'court opera' & the singspiel troupe of the German National Theatre. The productions that resulted from this contest were Antonio Salieri's Prima la musica e poi le parole & Mozart's Der Schauspieldirektor. Salieri's opera stands up fully in comparison with Mozart's. Replaces BA7698-90