Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (1782) and Die Za^be^^d'te (1791), two operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), establish his reputation as a composer of Singspiel. Mozart’s first Singspiel after he moved to Vienna, Die EnfUhrung aus dem Serail, was commissioned by the institution, German National-Singspiel. Thus, this work was expected to meet two unpronounced provisions by the authority, namely, to be an opera that was national as well as comic. These provisions, which seem to be factors contributing to the overwhelming success of Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, are rather obstacles during the composition process for Mozart. This paper explores the opera’s unique position in music history and its impact upon Mozart himself from the perspectives of the compositional background and the composer’s techniques for writing Die EnfUhrung aus dem Serail. It can be concluded: whereas the exotic Turkish characters and music provide the materials needed for a comic opera, Mozart’s compositional strategies solve problems which came as a result of using German as the language of the opera. Instead of being confined by these two hidden criteria, Mozart was able to create an internal structural consistency for Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail and transcend the conventions of folk comedy prevalent during the early 18th century in Vienna. His ingenuity not only results in the artistic achievement of an individual masterpiece but also opens new possibilities for Singspiel.