On This Day!
On this day in 1791 -- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart conducts the first performance of his last opera The Magic Flute, in Vienna.
In a Beethoven connection, according to Thayer:
"In April, 1860, Horzalka said that in 1820 or 1821, as near as he can recollect, the wife of a Major Baumgarten took boy boarders in her home. Her sister, Baroness Born, lived with her. Fraum Baumgarten had a son who studied at Blöchlinger's Institute, and Beethoven's nephew was amongst her boarders. One evening Horzalka called there and found only the Barnoness Born at home. Soon another caller came and stayed to tea. It was Beethoven. Among other topics, Mozart came under discussion, and the Baroness asked Beethoven, in writing of course, which of Mozart's operas he thought most of. 'Die Zauberflöte,' said Beethoven, and suddenly clasping his hands and throwing up his eyes exclaimed, 'Oh, Mozart!' As Horzalka had, as was the custom, always considered Don Giovanni the greatest of Mozart's operas, this opinion by Beethoven made a very deep impression upon him. Beethoven invited the Baroness to come to his lodgings and have a look at his Broadwood pianoforte".
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'Truth and beauty joined'
In a Beethoven connection, according to Thayer:
"In April, 1860, Horzalka said that in 1820 or 1821, as near as he can recollect, the wife of a Major Baumgarten took boy boarders in her home. Her sister, Baroness Born, lived with her. Fraum Baumgarten had a son who studied at Blöchlinger's Institute, and Beethoven's nephew was amongst her boarders. One evening Horzalka called there and found only the Barnoness Born at home. Soon another caller came and stayed to tea. It was Beethoven. Among other topics, Mozart came under discussion, and the Baroness asked Beethoven, in writing of course, which of Mozart's operas he thought most of. 'Die Zauberflöte,' said Beethoven, and suddenly clasping his hands and throwing up his eyes exclaimed, 'Oh, Mozart!' As Horzalka had, as was the custom, always considered Don Giovanni the greatest of Mozart's operas, this opinion by Beethoven made a very deep impression upon him. Beethoven invited the Baroness to come to his lodgings and have a look at his Broadwood pianoforte".
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'Truth and beauty joined'
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