“The Man Who Wrote Mozart’s Words: Lorenzo da Ponte’s Scandalous Life” with Simon Rees

From Venice to Broadway: Lorenzo da Ponte Invents Himself (Again)

Da Ponte’s third opera with Mozart, Cosi Fan Tutte, was written shortly before Emperor Joseph II died. Facing limited opportunities under the new emperor, Da Ponte moved to London to work as a music publisher. He later settled in Philadelphia and then New York, where he traded Italian groceries and became Columbia University’s first Professor of Italian. He lived to see Don Giovanni performed in America and died well respected by friends and students.

In the series:
Jan. 22: From Venetian Seminary to Scandal and Exile
Jan. 29: Love, Lies & Opera: The Double Life of Lorenzo da Ponte
Feb. 5: Mozart’s World: Da Ponte and the Birth of Modern Opera
Feb. 19: From Venice to Broadway: Lorenzo da Ponte Invents Himself (Again)