"I shall write for Mozart, but will first read a few pages of Dante's Inferno, to find the right mood." - Lorenzo da Ponte speaking to the Emperor.
The most important musical relationship of Mozart's career came when he began collaborating with Lorenzo da Ponte in Vienna, 1785. Mozart deeply appreciated the Figaro trilogy of plays by French Freemason, Pierre Beaumarchais: Le Barbier de Seville, Le Mariage de Figaro, and La Mere Coupable. The second play had been banned in France and Vienna for its anti-aristocracy sentiment, but Mozart loved the underlying messages teeming with humanist views. He worked with the highly respected court poet and librettist Lorenzo da Ponte who reconstructed certain parts of the story, thus making the second play more acceptable in Vienna as an opera. Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) premiered in 1785 to great acclaim. Da Ponte noted in his memoirs "I have left out whole scenes, shortened others, trying always to omit anything that might offend propriety or good taste." Da Ponte was familiar with ideals that could "offend propriety." He was born Emenuele Conegliano to Jewish parents in the Republic of Venice. His mother died during childbirth of the couple's third son. His father fell in love with a Catholic girl, aged eighteen, only four years older than Emenuele. In order for his father to marry her, the Coneglianos all converted to Christianity at which time the Bishop gave Emenuele the name Lorenzo da Ponte. Lorenzo was given to the church as a gift of thanks, which was customary at that time if you could not give money. Lorenzo was later ordained as a priest, but did not live up to the expectations of that position. He was dismissed from universities and cities alike for his radical views and amorous adventures including producing a child with a married woman and opening a brothel with this same mistress. When he first became court poet, Emperor Joseph II asked him how many plays he had written. He responded "None, sire," to which the Emperor replied, "Good. Good. Then we shall have a virgin muse." During his tenure as court poet in Vienna, da Ponte first collaborated with Mozart. Together, he and Mozart are responsible for two of the world's greatest operas: Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni among other great works. After Mozart's untimely death, and the accession of Leopold II to the throne of the Holy Roman Empire, da Ponte fell out of favor and left Vienna. He went bankrupt as a bookmaker in London and then he fled to New York to avoid creditors. He became the first Professor of Italian at Columbia University where he was also the first Roman Catholic priest on faculty, as well as the first Jew. He died in America in 1838 at the age of ninety after completing his famous memoirs.
This color coordinated collection of fashion fabrics was first featured in our Vogue Fabrics By Mail Winter 2010 catalog of swatches. Subscribe to receive home delivery of these catalogs every other month.
The most important musical relationship of Mozart's career came when he began collaborating with Lorenzo da Ponte in Vienna, 1785. Mozart deeply appreciated the Figaro trilogy of plays by French Freemason, Pierre Beaumarchais: Le Barbier de Seville, Le Mariage de Figaro, and La Mere Coupable. The second play had been banned in France and Vienna for its anti-aristocracy sentiment, but Mozart loved the underlying messages teeming with humanist views. He worked with the highly respected court poet and librettist Lorenzo da Ponte who reconstructed certain parts of the story, thus making the second play more acceptable in Vienna as an opera. Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) premiered in 1785 to great acclaim. Da Ponte noted in his memoirs "I have left out whole scenes, shortened others, trying always to omit anything that might offend propriety or good taste." Da Ponte was familiar with ideals that could "offend propriety." He was born Emenuele Conegliano to Jewish parents in the Republic of Venice. His mother died during childbirth of the couple's third son. His father fell in love with a Catholic girl, aged eighteen, only four years older than Emenuele. In order for his father to marry her, the Coneglianos all converted to Christianity at which time the Bishop gave Emenuele the name Lorenzo da Ponte. Lorenzo was given to the church as a gift of thanks, which was customary at that time if you could not give money. Lorenzo was later ordained as a priest, but did not live up to the expectations of that position. He was dismissed from universities and cities alike for his radical views and amorous adventures including producing a child with a married woman and opening a brothel with this same mistress. When he first became court poet, Emperor Joseph II asked him how many plays he had written. He responded "None, sire," to which the Emperor replied, "Good. Good. Then we shall have a virgin muse." During his tenure as court poet in Vienna, da Ponte first collaborated with Mozart. Together, he and Mozart are responsible for two of the world's greatest operas: Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni among other great works. After Mozart's untimely death, and the accession of Leopold II to the throne of the Holy Roman Empire, da Ponte fell out of favor and left Vienna. He went bankrupt as a bookmaker in London and then he fled to New York to avoid creditors. He became the first Professor of Italian at Columbia University where he was also the first Roman Catholic priest on faculty, as well as the first Jew. He died in America in 1838 at the age of ninety after completing his famous memoirs.
This color coordinated collection of fashion fabrics was first featured in our Vogue Fabrics By Mail Winter 2010 catalog of swatches. Subscribe to receive home delivery of these catalogs every other month.
