MOZART IN THE VINEYARD

Radio Record, 12 August 1938, Page 21

MOZART IN THE VINEYARD

HOW HE SET THE LEGEND OF THE WORLD’S LOVER TO MUSIC

WHEN Mozart’s opera, "The Marriage of Figaro," was produced in Prague, the Bohemians took Figaro to their hearts, crowding the theatre for weeks on end. The authorities at once demanded another opera. "Don Giovanni" was the chosen work and Mozart composed the music in Prague itself within little more than a month. Much of it was written in the vineyard of an old friend, and they still show you there a little stone table at which Mozart sat writing, often while talk was going on round him or even while skittles was being played in the open air. The famous legend of Don Juan thus received its immortal musical setting. Sitting out in the garden of his friend Franz Duschek, with a view of the old town lying below in the quiet autumu sunshine, Mozart had the opera ready for rehearsal by the middle of October, and the 29th of that month was fixed for the first performance. On October 28 the overture had not even been begun. Mozart finished it during the night with the assistance of his wife, whose job it was to keep him

awake by telling him fairy tales, These kept him awake, but, punch induced: drowsiness, and the night passed in alternating periods of sleep and feverish activity. . By 7 next morning his M. S. was handed out for copying, and the overture was played that evening without rehearsal. It bearg no trace of hasty work, full of Mozart’s inimitable brightness and grace, it has always held a place of honour among the great masterpieces. The performance of the opera was @ brilliant success for all concerned, and it was repeated three times in the same week. The production of the opera at a later date in Vienna failed to please the public. Mozart said the opera was written a little for Prague, not at all for Vienna, and most of all for himself. The whole world has learnt to love it since then. "Don Giovanni" is sometimes quite mistakenly described as comic opera. Mozart’s music igs not the sort that "merely tickles the ear and leaves the heart hungry." A complete musical presentation of Mozart’s "Don Giovanni’ will be broadeast by 2YA on Sunday, Augus 5