Throughout college I studied music history where I learned about composers and important performances. I always found it fascinating to learn about the lives of composers and where they lived and performed their music. It has always been a dream of mine to one day visit the places that I would spend hours studying about. To be able to walk down the city streets and sit in the concert halls that once held such musical talents such as Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, and Lizst seemed like such a wonderful way to bring music history to life. In the past few years I have been very fortunate to have this dream fulfilled. As an At Home Music Teacher, I am happy to realize and share this with my students.
Mozart in Prague
One of my favorite ” reliving music history moments” was when I was able to travel to Prague in the Czech Republic to see Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni at the Estates Theater. Prague is such a beautiful and magical city full of history, culture, and music. It is no wonder that Mozart called this place his second home. I immediately fell in love with the winding cobblestone alleys and felt inspiration from the many towering spires atop the old buildings and churches.
Estates Theater
The Estates Theater was first opened in 1783.At this time around Europe many theaters were being built. Throughout the centuries many theaters have from this time have either fallen to ruin, been destroyed, or have had massive renovations. The Estates Theater has fortunately stayed exactly the same since it was first built over 230 years ago.
Opera and More!
Mozart fell in love with Prague towards the end of his life. He had made great career for himself in Vienna Austria but started to feel that he was not appreciated. When he traveled to Prague to premier his Operas the people of Prague opened their arms and hearts to Mozart and made him feel at home. His music there was much loved and he even felt that Prague was his second home. Mozart first premiered his opera Don Giovanni at the Estates Theater in 1787 and was an instant success. Earlier that year Mozart also premiered another much beloved opera, The Marriage of Figaro.
A Dream Realized
Being able to watch Don Giovanni in the same theater 223 years after it was first premiered was such a magical moment. I really felt a connection to the past by reliving this important musical history moment.
