Life of Mozart

MOZART S POSITION AT COURT, 179O. 275displayed any sort of partiality for music ; his consort, theEmpress Louise, visited the opera and laid claim to somemusical knowledge, although she expressed herself dissatisfiedwith the state of music in Vienna ; the young princes, too,were instructed in music.-^ The difference between Josephand his successor in point of taste was very soon manifestedby the reintroduction of ballets, and by the favour bestowedon opera seria as well as opera buffa. It was rumoured thata new court theatre was to be built, in which the boxeswere to be arranged for card-playing, and that Salieri haddetermined in consequence to resign his post, which was tobe filled by Cimarosa.^ Those individuals who had enjoyedthe esteem of Joseph had little favour to hope for fromLeopold ; a fact which soon became evident in matterstheatrical. Count Rosenberg was removed from themanagement, which was intrusted to Count Ugarte ; ^ DaPonte and Madame Ferraresi fell into disfavour ; * Salierithought it advisable to retire from the conductorship ofthe opera, and his place was filled by Jos. Weigl, "thatthe master might be reverenced in the pupil." ^ Mozarthad stood too high in the favour of Joseph to be able toexpect much from Leopold IL; his candidature for thepost of second kapellmeister was as little successful as hisrequest to be honoured with the musical instruction of theprinces. Proof positive of the low esteem in which he washeld by the court was afforded to him on the occasion ofthe visit of King Ferdinand of Naples, who came to Vienna(September 14) with his Queen, Caroline, to celebrate themarriages of his daughters, Maria Theresa and Louise,with the Archdukes Francis and Ferdinand. Ferdinand's^ Mus. Corresp., 1790, p. 30.* Mus. Wochenbl., p. 15. Cf. Lange, Selbstbiogr., p. 167.3 MuUer, Abschied, p. 286.* Da Ponte, Mem., I., 2, p. 114.sMosel, Salieri, p. 138. Mus. Wochenbl., p. 62. Leopold's most severeremarks upon Salieri are quoted by Da Ponte (Mem., II., p. 135) " So tutte : lesue cabale e so quelle della Cavalieri. E un egoista insopportabile, che nonvorrebbe che piacessero nel mio teatro che le sue opere e la sua bella; eo-li none solo nemico vostro, ma lo e di tutti i maestri di capella, di tutte le cantanti."'T 2