Page 18 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - September '22

Page 18, Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens
An American Wrote The Libretto To Don Giovanni – No Kidding

By Rex Hearn Da Ponte was held in high regard during his 22-year tenure. most remarkable of all, he alone raised $30,000 and built a
Mozart and Lorenzo Da It’s estimated he taught over 2,500 students. He opened a Manhattan theatre in one year dedicating it to opera. It opened
Ponte, a librettist, first met bookstore, again, selling over 25,000 volumes. This time it was on Nov. 18, 1835. He was now 86! Boxes were selling for
in Vienna in 1783. They very successful. For the 1825 season he brought over an Italian $6,000 a season. It was so popular that lots had to be drawn to
shied away from the staid opera company from Naples with financial help of a grateful make purchasing fair. After two years Da Ponte was given the
Greco-Roman mythologies, wine merchant, Dominick Lynch. Naturally they performed The receipts of a performance and retired to his Broome Street home
used frequently in opera Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni. In 1828 at 79 he became at 88 where he served refreshments to all who stopped by. As
until then, choosing an American citizen and wrote a memoir; banned in Vienna, a librettist he wrote 55 operas. In America he wrote 35 plays.
to collaborate on Venice, Naples and Trieste! He then brought over Giacomo He died at 91. An inspiration and indomitable spirit in what one
human interest stories. Montresor’s Opera in 1832. They gave 35 performances in the person could achieve with drive, enthusiasm, intellect, love and
Musicologists rightly Hill Street Theatre, renaming it the Italian Opera House. And a little luck. He was an American! Tell your friends. …
praise Mozart’s ability to
“draw” character in very
few bars. In 1786, The Marriage of Figaro was their first Helping Poor Readers
collaboration.
It was a huge success in Vienna. Don Giovanni of 1787
was next. It premiered in Prague. Based on reprobate and By Jim Forgan, Ph.D., I understand the struggles because I had a hard time
seducer, Don Juan, of Seville, Spain; a story Da Ponte Licensed School reading sounding out words but I had a strong memory
worked on with Composer Bertati in 1782, the manager Psychologist so I could memorize well. During my childhood it
of Prague Opera wrote, “A most brilliant audience for It can frustrate you and was common to collect things so as a 10-year-old
Don Giovanni! Long live Da Ponte. Long live Mozart: your child when reading kid I collected beer cans. My dad drank the beer and
while they live no manager shall know distress.” Another does not develop easily. I displayed the can’s colorful designs. My parents
great opera was born. Sometimes the struggle subscribed me to Beer Can Collectors of America and I
As a librettist Da Ponte is often overlooked, maybe becomes a blame game read articles about beer cans. We went on the brewery
because he had a life similar to Don Juan, it will amuse of blaming the child for tour at Busch Gardens. While these did not lead me to
you to know. Born a Jew, Emanuel Conegliano, his father not trying hard enough, my career, the activities motivated me to read.
remarried a Christian lady. They had three sons and six blaming a teacher for poor You might encourage your child to read about his
daughters in Cenada, Italy. The local bishop educated teaching, or even blaming or her interests in Pokémon, Minecraft, arts and crafts,
the boys. One became a gardener, one a bookseller and yourself for not spending enough time reading with your or Candy Crush. Support your child’s reading interests
Emanuel took the bishop’s name becoming a priest at child. Ultimately, a child’s struggles are often related to a with material and experiences.
24. A womanizer, he was chased out of parish after combination of factors including a genetic predisposition for To help poor readers, start with specialized tutoring
parish by irate husbands in Northern Italy. He gives up reading difficulty. Many times learning disabilities such as at reading centers like Lindamood Bell or the Reading
the priesthood becoming a poet and scholar and at 34 is dyslexia occur within the family tree. Success Center in Palm City. I have some specialized
chosen to become librettist to the newly formed Italian To help your child you have many choices of doing reading tutors at JimForgan.com/tutor. If money
Opera at the Burg Theatre in Vienna, writing for Lully, testing, tutoring, brain training, waiting, or talking with the is tight, you can teach your child using the Barton
Martin y Soler and Salieri. Many of the leading ladies teacher. While testing and tutoring are preferred, the one thing Reading System at BartonReading.com. Reading is a
became amours and one became his mistress. His last I recommend you do is not let your child lose the hope that skill so it can improve.
collaboration with Mozart was Cosi Fan Tutti (Women are they can become a great reader. When I test poor readers I If you suspect dyslexia, call our office as we test
Fickle) of 1790. Within a year Mozart was dead. Vienna’s identify the root cause and most effective reading program children ages 5.5 through college for dyslexia, ADHD/
Italian opera disbanded. to help your child make the most improvement as fast as ADD, giftedness, and other processing disorders. Visit
Leaving for Trieste in 1791 at 43 he was asked to check possible. I also assess a child’s self-esteem as some kids come JimForgan.com or call (561) 625-4125.
out Nancy Grahl, fiancée of an arranged marriage to a in feeling defeated believing they have a broken brain.
rich friend. Instead, Da Ponte marries the lovely Nancy
and they eloped to London in 1792 where he became
poet to the Italian opera at the King’s Theatre. He opens
a bookstore, getting Italian books from his bookselling
brother, Paolo. Nancy bears him three children: Louisa,
1794; Fanny, 1799 and Lorenzo, 1804. In the interim CONNECTING
her family had emigrated to Sunbury, Pa. She takes the
children to America for a year’s visit but decides to stay. REAL PEOPLE
Da Ponte sells his bookstore, pays off his debts and with
his last 100 guineas buys passage to New York, arriving Changing the way we IN REAL LIFE
find love, one date at a time.
in June of 1805. A happy reunion ensues. A son Carlo
was born in 1806. Da Ponte was 57!
He opens a grocery store in NYC with borrowed
money: a disaster. A wash house in Pennsylvania: a
failure. A bookstore in New Jersey: nothing worked. Start Living & Loving
As a patron he invites an Italian opera company to New
York: an artistic success but a financial disaster. He gives Your Best Life!
Italian lessons. Finally at 75, thinking he may retire, he
bundles up his books, sells them to a Broadway bookseller
and meets Clement Clark Moore in the store, 30 years
his junior, author of ’Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Now Bishop Moore, Clement’s father, was president of
Columbia University. The Moores acted swiftly. Da Ponte
became the first professor of Italian literature at Columbia
in 1825. Retirement could wait.

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