In Prague, they christened a book about the composer Mysliveček by Daniel Evan Freeman
The biographical drama about Mysliveček, which is accompanied by his music performed by the baroque ensemble Collegium 1704, should premiere on July 21 next year. Freeman is one of the filmmakers’ professional advisors.
“I still remember the time when I first came to Prague to study in the mid-1980s, and how I wished I could be able to share what I learned about musical life in Prague directly. with a large number of enthusiastic lovers of music and literature who live in every city in Bohemia and Moravia, “said Freeman. “The opportunity to reach at least some of them who can read English has never satisfied me. However, the dream that my work will reach the most people in Czech has finally come true this year, “added the American musicologist, who specializes in European music of the 18th century, especially the musical culture of Prague and the Czech lands during the Classicist era.
Freeman’s dissertation on the Opera Theater of Count František Antonín Šporek in Prague (1724–1735) was published in 1992 as the first monograph devoted to the musical culture of 18th century Prague and the Czech lands. This work was followed by two other books dealing with music in 18th century Prague: Josef Mysliveček, Il Boemo and Mozart in Prague. Freeman teaches music history at the University of Illinois, the University of Southern California, and the University of Minnesota. He also works as a pianist and music editor.
In the spring of 2022, the Vyšehrad publishing house will publish an expanded and updated edition of Freeman’s original professional monograph on Mysliveček.
The co-production biographical drama about Mysliveček was shot by director Václav in Italian. The scenes of the story take place in Naples, at the San Carlo Theater, which has set the tone for opera since the first half of the 18th century. In addition to Freeman’s work, the director based on Josef Bohadlo’s book Josef Mysliveček in Letters based his script.
The music from the upcoming film Il Boemo was heard this year on November 11 in the Rudolfinum at a concert by the Collegium 1704 orchestra. The orchestra offered a program composed of vocal and instrumental works by Mysliveček and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The guest was the soprano Simona Šaturová, who in the film Il Boemo lent a singing voice to the character of Caterina Gabrielli, one of the most famous singers of the second half of the 18th century, who performed regularly in Mysliveček’s operas.
Mysliveček (1737–1781), one of the most famous European opera composers of the second half of the 18th century, Mozart’s teacher and friend, composed 30 operas, ten oratorios, symphonies, concerts, overtures and a number of chamber and church music.