Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from December, 2012

Mozart and Prague: It's complicated

" Meine Prager verstehen mich!" Those were the   exact words of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, meaning "My Praguers understand me". Mozart's Don Giovanni premiered at the Teatro di Praga, now known as the Prague State Opera.  Mozart conducted the premiere, and apparently the singers complained that the opera was difficult to perform. Josefina Duskova The first version of   Don Giovanni  did not include one of Ottavio's arias, Elvira's last aria, and the duet with Leporello and Zerlina. These amendments were made later for the second cast, this time in Vienna. (He also procrastinated writing the overture to the opera until a few days before opening night!) While Mozart was writing   Don Giovanni,   he stayed in Villa Bertramka, in Prague. Home to Josefina Dušková and Frantisek Duškov, Villa Bertramka became a favorite place to stay for the composer.  Josefina  and Frantisek encouraged young composers and offered their residence to th...