Operetta (lost), K. 668
de Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Operetta (lost), K. 668 is a doubtful entry ascribed to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), tentatively dated to 19 February 1776 in Salzburg, when the composer was 20. No music is known to survive, and even the work’s identity beyond its generic label remains unclear.
What Is Known
The Köchel catalogue lists an Operetta (lost) under K. 668, placing it in Salzburg and dating it to 19 February 1776 (Mozart aged 20) [1]. No autograph, copy, score, parts, libretto, or contemporary production documentation is generally cited in readily accessible reference sources; at present, the entry appears to preserve little more than a title/category and a presumed place and date.
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Given the absence of musical sources, the attribution must be treated cautiously. The broader scholarly problem of misattributions in Mozart transmission—well documented for various early “Mozart” symphonies later judged spurious or doubtful—offers a useful parallel: works can circulate under Mozart’s name with scant or misleading documentation [2]. In K. 668’s case, the lack of any surviving musical text prevents stylistic evaluation, leaving authenticity essentially untestable.
Musical Content
No notated music is known to survive for K. 668 in published, digitized, or commonly cited catalogued form; consequently, instrumentation, vocal forces, dramatic structure, and even language cannot be described from primary musical evidence [1].
[1] Köchel catalogue entry showing K. 668 as “Operetta (lost)” with date and place.
[2] Background on spurious/doubtful Mozart attributions (symphonies) as a parallel for transmission problems.