Lorenzo da Ponte facts for kids
Lorenzo da Ponte (born March 10, 1749 – died August 17, 1838) was a famous opera writer and poet. He is best known for writing the words (called libretti) for three of Mozart's most famous operas: The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Così fan tutte.
Early Life and Career
Lorenzo da Ponte was born Emanuele Conegliano near Venice, Italy. His parents were Jewish. When he was young, he became a Christian. He took the name Lorenzo da Ponte from the bishop who helped him become a Christian. He later became a priest in Venice.
Da Ponte was told to leave Venice for 15 years. He then went to Austria. There, he became the official writer for the Emperor Joseph II's operas. This was a very important job.
Life in America
Around 1792, da Ponte married Ann Celestine Grahl. They had four children together. After Emperor Joseph II died, da Ponte lost his job. He moved to London, England, where he faced some financial difficulties.
Later, he decided to move to the United States. For a short time, he ran a grocery store in Pennsylvania. He then moved to New York City. In New York, he opened a bookstore. He also became the first professor of Italian literature at Columbia College.
In 1826, he helped bring the opera Don Giovanni to New York. This was a big event for opera in America. In 1828, da Ponte became an American citizen.
Legacy
Lorenzo da Ponte died in 1838 in New York. His funeral was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral. We are not sure exactly where he was buried.
Most of da Ponte's opera stories were based on stories that already existed. However, he was very good at making these old stories new and exciting. Two of his original stories were L'arbore di Diana and Così fan tutte. He gave the character of Don Giovanni a new life in his opera. This character is now seen as a classic example of someone who does not follow rules.
See also
In Spanish: Lorenzo da Ponte para niños
