Lorenzo da Ponte–the infamous librettist of Cosi fan Tutte, Le Nozze di Figaro, and Don Giovanni–turns 260 today! A nod to Milan-based opera blogger OperaChic for the heads-up, and I think her words are most appropriate for the occasion:
On March 10 — of the year 1749, but it doesn’t really matter because his art is still so present and his genius is still so new — Emanuele Conegliano was born, son of Rachele and Geremia, brother of Baruch and Anania, the future Lorenzo Da Ponte, Abate Da Ponte, lecherous priest, brothel owner, poet, court librettist for Mozart and Salieri, writer of that trilogy, naturalized American citizen and New Yorker (he used to call his adoptive city “Nova Iorca”, which Opera Chic finds terribly cool), impresario, Bowery grocer, Columbia University professor, memoirist, Greatest Italian Playwright Who Ever Lived (and that includes Goldoni and Pirandello).
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