 ATTENTION: For this AEIOU article, there is probably
In 1787 Mozart was in Prague to enjoy the success of his opera "The Marriage of Figaro". Mozart came to the town on the Wltawa at the invitation of the Duschek family. He had aleady got to know Josefa Duschek, a daughter of the Prague apothecary Hampacher. Her grandfather Ignaz Anton Weiser had been mayor of Salzburg between 1772 and 1775. At that time Mozart composed the Andromeda scene, K.272, for Josefa. The commission for the opera Don Giovanni was given to Mozart by Pasquale Bondini, the principal of the Count Nostitz National Theatre at Prague and the director of the Italian troupe. Maybe this commission had been prepared by the Duscheks. Very likely, Count Thun, an influential patron of music, also had a hand in it. As Da Ponte was Vienna's most popular libretto writer and as he was well-versed in literature, it was only natural that he should be chosen as text writer. The subject was veery popular at the time. On October 1st, when Mozart came to Prague for the second time, the main part of the score was finished. The first night was planned for October 14th, 1787, as a homage to the newly wed couple Archduchess Maria Theresia and Prince Anton Clemens of Saxony who were to visit Prague on that day. This date, however, could not be kept because of difficulties during the rehearsals. The first night under Mozart's direction on October 29th, 1787 was a great success. The first Viennese performance took place on May 7th, 1788, at the request of Enperor Joseph II at the Imperial Court Theatre. For this (less successful) performance Mozart had added Ottavio's aria "Dalla sua pace." 
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