Piccola collaborazione…

Nancy_Storace_Portrait_By_Pietro_Bettelini_-_original_scanThose of you who have heard our Mozart lectures know that we always like to stress that there was no animosity between Mozart and Salieri, maybe a little misunderstanding here or there and a little venting about it to family, but nothing more. This is very much supported by the fact that there is even a recently rediscovered cantata that the two collaborated on. Entitled “Per la ricuperata salute di Ofelia”, it was written in 1785 by BOTH to celebrate the recuperation of the famous singer Nancy Storace of a vocal affliction. She premiered the role of Susanna in Mozart’s Figaro, and knowing in how much detail Mozart catered to the specific voices of his stars, any vocal trouble she felt must have affected him too! Unfortunately, not even this cantata gave her back her pervious vocal luster… but it bears testimony to the fact that Salieri and Mozart thought enough of the other to at least write a “musical get-well card” with him.