Letters from Vienna #211
A virtual guided tour of Vienna, Part 22, Kohlmarkt
Letter to Baron Bethell #31
Dear James,
After one passes through the Naglergasse one gets to the Kohlmarkt (coal market), which dates from Roman times and was once (before the fourteenth century) termed “Witmarkt” (wood market, wit, wid = wood).
This is where the great Pietro Bonaventura Metastasio (1698-1782) once lived (Kohlmarkt 11 (Großes Michaelerhaus)).
“Raised by the scholar Gian Vincenzo Gravina, Metastasio received a comprehensive education and grew up in the circles of the Roman Academy. At the age of 14 he wrote his first tragedy (Giustino) and was already using the stage name “Metastasio” (the Greek form of his family name). Although he received minor orders at the age of 16/17, he didn’t pursue a spiritual career, but went to Naples after Gravina’s death in 1718 to devote himself to the theater and courtly poetry (at the same time composition and singing lessons with N. Porpora).”
“First contacts to the imperial court through the Pignatelli family. In 1730 M. was called to the imperial court in Vienna as the successor to A. Zeno, since his libretti and his theory of drama were regarded as a continuation of Zeno’s operatic reforms. M. remained active for the court as poeta cesareo for more than 50 years (Charles VI, Maria Theresia) and in this function not only created panegyric texts to glorify his employers, but also (above all in cooperation with A. Caldara) a series of texts that were set to music by more than 400 composers between 1720/1835. These texts dominated the opera stages of Europe or in their classical structure (supported also by the principles of Roman Arcadia, to which M. belonged) set norms for all other librettists and (courtly) poets.”[1]
One of those Metastasio helped was Lorenzo da Ponte (who had no idea how to compose libretti and had no idea where to even find any at the time) who wrote:
“…he received me with that urbanity and that grace which was proper to him and which characterised his writings. He spoke to me about the verses he’d seen, and didn’t disdain to read them to the learned assembly, which used to gather in his house every evening…”
“A few courteous expressions of praise, which came from such a venerable mouth, made Vienna speak advantageously of me. However, I no longer had the good fortune to see that great man again, who retained, although very old, all the freshness and vivacity of youth and all the primitive vigour of a lively and vigorous genius whose learned schooling and conversation could have greatly profited me. He died, a few days later, of pain, as a friend of his told me…”[2]
Another was Joseph Haydn (1732-1809).
“Joseph Haydn lived in an attic room of the house (1751-1756), after he’d been dismissed from the chapel choir due to rebellious behaviour. Metastasio supported the young Haydn (who warmed himself at the master’s fire). In return for piano lessons for Marianne Martinez, Haydn received board in Metastasio’s apartment; this arrangement lasted for three years; the student later became a singer, pianist and composer, as well as an honorary member of the Philharmonic Academy in Bologna and received her doctorate in Pavia.”[3]
Frédéric Chopin also lived, between November 1830 and July 1831, in the Kohlmarkt (Kohlmarkt 9).
Of interest, of course, is Demel, where it would be well-advised to stop for a respite.
“August Dehne sold the confectionery founded by his father Ludwig Dehne in 1785 on Michaelerplatz opposite the old Burgtheater (which had been continued after Ludwig’s death [1799] by his widow Antonia and her second husband) to Christoph Demel in 1857 after it had experienced a decline in business. Christoph Demel moved the pastry shop to the house at Kohlmarkt 18, which ensured a rapid upswing for the business and soon gained an international reputation. In 1867, Christoph Demel handed over the business to his two sons, Josef and Karl. Since then the company has been called “Christoph Demel’s Söhne”. After the demolition of the old Burgtheater (1888) and in the course of the redesign of Michaelerplatz, the pastry shop moved to Kohlmarkt 14.”[4]
Best,
Michael
[1] https://www.musiklexikon.ac.at/ml/musik_M/Metastasio_Pietro.xml
[2] http://www.handelforever.com/librettisti/metastasio_doc.htm
[3] https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Gro%C3%9Fes_Michaelerhaus
[4] https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Hofkonditorei_Demel