Page 13 - Southern Exposure - September '22

Southern Exposure, Page 13

ArtS & entertAinment

An American Wrote The Libretto

To Don Giovanni – No Kidding

By Rex Hearn

Mozart and Lorenzo Da chosen to become librettist to the newly formed Italian became the first professor of Italian literature at Columbia
Ponte, a librettist, first met Opera at the Burg Theatre in Vienna, writing for Lully, in 1825. Retirement could wait.
in Vienna in 1783. They Martin y Soler and Salieri. Many of the leading ladies Da Ponte was held in high regard during his 22-year
shied away from the staid became amours and one became his mistress. His last tenure. It’s estimated he taught over 2,500 students.
Greco-Roman mythologies, collaboration with Mozart was Cosi Fan Tutti (Women are He opened a bookstore, again, selling over 25,000
used frequently in opera Fickle) of 1790. Within a year Mozart was dead. Vienna’s volumes. This time it was very successful. For the 1825
until then, choosing Italian opera disbanded. season he brought over an Italian opera company from
t o c ol la borat e on Leaving for Trieste in 1791 at 43 he was asked to check Naples with financial help of a grateful wine merchant,
human interest stories. out Nancy Grahl, fiancée of an arranged marriage to a Dominick Lynch. Naturally they performed The Marriage
Musicologists rightly rich friend. Instead, Da Ponte marries the lovely Nancy of Figaro and Don Giovanni. In 1828 at 79 he became
praise Mozart’s ability to and they eloped to London in 1792 where he became an American citizen and wrote a memoir; banned in
“draw” character in very poet to the Italian opera at the King’s Theatre. He opens Vienna, Venice, Naples and Trieste! He then brought
few bars. In 1786, The Marriage of Figaro was their first a bookstore, getting Italian books from his bookselling over Giacomo Montresor’s Opera in 1832. They gave 35
collaboration. brother, Paolo. Nancy bears him three children: Louisa, performances in the Hill Street Theatre, renaming it the
It was a huge success in Vienna. Don Giovanni of 1787 1794; Fanny, 1799 and Lorenzo, 1804. In the interim Italian Opera House. And most remarkable of all, he alone
was next. It premiered in Prague. Based on reprobate and her family had emigrated to Sunbury, Pa. She takes the raised $30,000 and built a Manhattan theatre in one year
seducer, Don Juan, of Seville, Spain; a story Da Ponte children to America for a year’s visit but decides to stay. dedicating it to opera. It opened on Nov. 18, 1835. He was
worked on with Composer Bertati in 1782, the manager of Da Ponte sells his bookstore, pays off his debts and with now 86! Boxes were selling for $6,000 a season. It was
Prague Opera wrote, “A most brilliant audience for Don his last 100 guineas buys passage to New York, arriving so popular that lots had to be drawn to make purchasing
Giovanni! Long live Da Ponte. Long live Mozart: while in June of 1805. A happy reunion ensues. A son Carlo was fair. After two years Da Ponte was given the receipts of
they live no manager shall know distress.” Another great born in 1806. Da Ponte was 57! a performance and retired to his Broome Street home at
opera was born. He opens a grocery store in NYC with borrowed 88 where he served refreshments to all who stopped by.
As a librettist Da Ponte is often overlooked, maybe money: a disaster. A wash house in Pennsylvania: a As a librettist he wrote 55 operas. In America he wrote 35
because he had a life similar to Don Juan, it will amuse failure. A bookstore in New Jersey: nothing worked. plays. He died at 91. An inspiration and indomitable spirit
you to know. Born a Jew, Emanuel Conegliano, his father As a patron he invites an Italian opera company to New in what one person could achieve with drive, enthusiasm,
remarried a Christian lady. They had three sons and six York: an artistic success but a financial disaster. He gives intellect, love and a little luck. He was an American! Tell
daughters in Cenada, Italy. The local bishop educated Italian lessons. Finally at 75, thinking he may retire, he your friends. …
the boys. One became a gardener, one a bookseller and bundles up his books, sells them to a Broadway bookseller
Emanuel took the bishop’s name becoming a priest at and meets Clement Clark Moore in the store, 30 years
24. A womanizer, he was chased out of parish after his junior, author of ’Twas the Night Before Christmas.
parish by irate husbands in Northern Italy. He gives up Now Bishop Moore, Clement’s father, was president of
the priesthood becoming a poet and scholar and at 34 is Columbia University. The Moores acted swiftly. Da Ponte
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