Knowra Lorenzo Da Ponte Lorenzo Da Ponte Lorenzo Da Ponte (1749–1838) was an Italian librettist, poet, and opera impresario, best known for the librettos of three operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
The Marriage of Figaro : A comic opera by Mozart, first performed in Vienna in 1786, with a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Da Ponte adapted Beaumarchais’s play into this fast-moving social comedy.
Ceneda : A historic town in northeastern Italy, now part of Vittorio Veneto, where Lorenzo Da Ponte was born. Da Ponte’s early life began in this Venetian-territory town in 1749.
Antonio Salieri : An Italian composer who served at the Habsburg court and wrote operas for Vienna and other European theaters. Salieri collaborated with Da Ponte on several operas, including Axur, re d’Ormus.
Italian Opera House (New York) : An opera house opened in New York in 1833 under Lorenzo Da Ponte’s leadership. Da Ponte promoted Italian opera in the United States through this short-lived venture.
Beaumarchais : A French playwright and political satirist whose plays include The Marriage of Figaro. Da Ponte transformed Beaumarchais’s controversial play into Mozart’s opera libretto.
Don Giovanni : A two-act opera by Mozart, first performed in Prague in 1787, with a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its libretto is Da Ponte’s darkest and most dramatically expansive collaboration with Mozart.
Venice : A historic Italian city and former republic that was a major center of culture, commerce, and opera. Da Ponte entered the city’s literary and theatrical world after clerical training.
Caterina Cavalieri : An Austrian soprano active in Vienna who created roles in operas by Mozart and other composers. She sang in works with Da Ponte librettos, including The Marriage of Figaro.
Columbia University : A private research university in New York City, founded in 1754 as King’s College. Da Ponte taught Italian at Columbia, becoming its first professor of Italian literature.
The Barber of Seville : A comic play by Beaumarchais, later adapted as an opera by Gioachino Rossini. Its Figaro character links Da Ponte’s adaptation to a separate operatic treatment of Beaumarchais.
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