[MOZART WOLFGANG AMADEUS]: (1756-1791) FIRMIAN KARL JOSEPH VON: (1716-1782)

[MOZART WOLFGANG AMADEUS]: (1756-1791) FIRMIAN KARL JOSEPH VON: (1716-1782)

[MOZART WOLFGANG AMADEUS]: (1756-1791) Austrian composer of the Classical period. FIRMIAN KARL JOSEPH VON: (1716-1782) Austrian nobleman who served as Plenipotentiary Minister of Lombardy to the Habsburg Monarchy from 1756. Firmian was an avid promoter of the arts and sciences and was one of Mozart´s most important aristocratic patrons, and a key figure in his early career as a composer of Italian opera. L.S., Carlo C di Firmian, with holograph subscription (´Devmo. Umilmo. Serv[itor]e´), one page, folio, Mantua, 30th May 1769, to a Viscount in Casalmaggiore, in Italian. Firmian informs his correspondent that Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, will depart from Mantua the following Friday and, after spending a few hours at Bozzolo, will perhaps go to the coast to spend the evening, further instructing ´Sara per tanto di lei cura il far allestire alcune stanze per la M. I. proprie bensi, ma senza gran apparato, ed alcune altre per le persone del suo seguito. Esiccome arriveranno prima i Cuochi di S. M. e qualche altra persona del suo servigio, cosi non manchera V.S. Illma di far loro dare tutta quella assistenza che abbisognera´ (Translation: ´It will therefore be your care to arrange for some rooms to be prepared for Her Majesty herself, but without much pomp and circumstance, and some others for the people in her retinue. And as Her Majesty's cooks and some other persons in her service will arrive first, Your Excellency will not fail to provide them with all the assistance they may require´). With blank integral leaf. A few small, minor creases and tears to the edges and with some light damp staining to the head of the page, only very slightly affecting the salutation. About VG

Maria Theresa (1717-1780) Empress Consort of the Holy Roman Empire 1745-65. Mother of Marie Antoinette.

The young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his father, Leopold, left Salzburg for their first tour of Italy in December 1769, the same year as the present letter. After staying in Verona, they arrived in Mantua on 10th January 1770 and remained in the city until 19th January. The Mozarts arrived in Milan on 23rd January and, after a short delay owing to an illness Firmian was suffering from, they finally met with the Count and dined together on 7th February. Firmian welcomed the young composer and his father with generous hospitality and friendship, the minister also hosting a series of concerts attended by many of the city´s notables, including Archduke Ferdinand (the third surviving son of Maria Theresa) who it was hoped would be a future patron of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

On 15th October 1771 the lavish wedding of Archduke Ferdinand to Maria Beatrice d´Este took place in Milan. Festivities arranged for this occasion included a performance of Mozart´s opera Ascanio in Alba (K.111) which had been commissioned by Maria Theresa, although the Empress is known to have left the responsibility of selecting the author and composer of the wedding serenata firmly at the feet of Firmian. In a letter of February 1771, Firmian was to write of his choice of composer, ´For the music I would think completely suitable the young Maestro di Cappella Mozart of Salzburg, already known to the Court, who wrote the music here for the first opera of this carnival, which pleased very much……His music has been examined by the best masters, both of this city and abroad, and all have praised him most highly……I am convinced that he will employ all his talent to do himself honour on this occasion´