RN Documentary: Lorenzo da Ponte
Series: RN Documentaries
From: Radio Netherlands Worldwide
Length: 00:29:30
Lorenzo da Ponte is best known for his collaborations with Mozart, writing the librettos for The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cosi fan Tutti. However, that was just a small part of this extraordinary Italian?s eighty-nine years. He led a tumultuous and eventful life in many of the greatest cities on earth including Venice, Vienna, London and New York. His many incarnations included poet, bookseller and grocer. The writer Rodney Bolt discusses his new biography ?Lorenza da Ponte, the adventures of Mozart?s librettist in the Old and new Worlds?.
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Related Pieces
Piece Description
Lorenzo da Ponte is best known for his collaborations with Mozart, writing the librettos for The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cosi fan Tutti. However, that was just a small part of this extraordinary Italian?s eighty-nine years. He led a tumultuous and eventful life in many of the greatest cities on earth including Venice, Vienna, London and New York. His many incarnations included poet, bookseller and grocer. The writer Rodney Bolt discusses his new biography ?Lorenza da Ponte, the adventures of Mozart?s librettist in the Old and new Worlds?.
Transcript
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Musical Works
Title: The Salieri album /Cecilia Bartoli Track 1: Dopo prango addormertata Dur: 1?35? Decca 475100-2 DH
Title: Famous flute concerti/Vivaldi Track 3: allegro molto/concerto for piccolo and strings in C major Dur: 44? Artists: Capella Istropolitana Naxos 8554053
Title: Mozart Da Ponte operas/The Marriage of Figaro CD1 Track 1: sinfonia Dur: 54? Riccardo Muti/Vienna Philharmonic EMI Classics 5755352
Title: Mozart Da Ponte operas/The Marriage of Figaro CD 2 Track 26: no.21 duetino Dur: 2?00?
Riccardo Muti/Vienna Philharmonic EMI Classics 5755352 Title: Don Giovanni/Mozart Track 1: sinfonia Dur: 44? Drottningham Court Theatre Decca 470059-2 DF2
Title: Mozart Da Ponte operas/Don Giovanni CD4 Track 9: No.4 aria Madamina, il atalogo e questo Dur: 1?55? Riccardo Muti/Vienna Philharmonic EMI Classics 5755352
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Ben Adair
Posted on September 28, 2006 at 01:13 PM | Permalink
Review of RN Documentary: Lorenzo da Ponte
This Radio Netherland's 1/2-hour special on the lyricist Lorenzo da Ponte does about as much as you can with a basic hosted interview. The author who's interviewed, writer of a recent da Ponte biography, is very knowledgeable and clearly excited about his subject. He speaks in emotional tones, clearly amused, perplexed -- an excellent storyteller. The piece uses voiceovers and music in a very engaging way.
However, the piece still suffers from what ails most extended two-ways -- if you're not inherently interested in opera, Mozart or da Ponte, the piece does little to explain to you why you should be or why da Ponte is important. As for me, not being an opera fan, I never really got caught up in the piece.
This piece would fit great wherever an audience is hungry for well-produced conversation about classical music or opera.