Bertramka
Encyclopedia
Bertramka is a villa in Prague
where Mozart
was a frequent guest. Bertramka is now a museum dedicated to the memory of Mozart and to the former owners and Mozart’s hosts: Mr and Mrs Dušek.
Bertramka is situated about a mile from the city centre. In the late 18th century it would still have been well outside the walls of the city, beneath the vineyard
s on the slopes of Černý vrch (Black Hill). Today the villa with its grounds still maintains tranquillity.
It is not known who built Bertramka. The estate had belonged to a Carthusian
monastery for several centuries. The present villa was constructed around 1700 and consists of a large home with two-winged staircase and several outbuildings, all surrounded, as now, by a wall. It had been customary for the wealthy inhabitants of Prague to build grand houses for their relaxation not far from the city. These were often combined with agricultural
activities. The grounds of Bertramka were certainly used for farming as well as vine
culture. It produced fruit, wheat, milk, poultry and vegetables. The villa appears to have got its name around the mid-18th century from Franzisca and Franz Berthram of Berthram.
Bertramka was purchased by František Dušek
and his wife Josefa Dušková
in 1784 and for 15 years it was a meeting place for many great artist
s and noble aristocrat
s who gathered at soirées and social gatherings
. Concerts were held weekly during the summer months. Those taking part included Leopold Kozeluch
(aka Johann Anton Koželuch), Franz Niemetschek and Johann Nepomuk Hummel
. It is highly likely that the adventurer Giacomo Casanova
stayed there.
Following František’s death the property changed hands several times until, in 1838 it was purchased by Lambert Popelka who was a great admirer of Mozart. He contacted Mozart's son Karl Thomas Mozart
in 1856 and had a bust of Mozart put in the garden. In 1887 he organized a memorial gathering, at which Antonín Dvořák
was present, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first performance of Don Giovanni
. Popelka stipulated in his will
that the two rooms that had been occupied by Mozart should never be inhabited and would be preserved as a shrine
to Mozart’s memory. Bertramka remained in the hands of the Popelka family until 1918. After more changing of hands it received a state grant in 1929 and became part of the Mozart Society in the Czech Republic. Reconstruction took place gradually and in 1956 an exhibition was established in time for the bicentenary of the composer’s birth.
František died in 1799 and his death gradually led to financial hardship for Josefa. She sold Bertramka and gradually moved to smaller and smaller apartments, although she continued to sing occasionally, dying in relative poverty in 1824.
. Despite this opera having been a huge success at its first performance in Vienna in April 1786 the Viennese were already tiring of Mozart and turning their attention to other composers such as Antonio Salieri
. Mozart was caught up in a lot of intrigues and he was desperate for money. This is why he came to Prague with his new opera. It caused a sensation and the Prague audiences were always to remain faithful to Mozart.
The Mozarts had arrived in Prague on 11 January 1787. His name was already well-known in Prague. Even the customs officer on duty at the New Gate asked, on examining Mozart’s passport, whether he was the composer of Figaro. On this occasion Josefa and František Dušek, who had met Mozart in Salzburg
, were abroad and therefore unable to host him.
Figaro was such a success that the opera manager, Pasquale Bondini, commissioned a new opera from him. This was to be Don Giovanni. He returned to Prague with his new opera in the autumn, probably in late September. He had lodgings in the town, at “Zu den drei goldenen Löwen”, another property of Dušek. Today there is a plaque on the wall which reads “V tomto domě bydlel Mozart v roce 1787” (“In this house lived Mozart in the year 1787”). Here and in Bertramka he worked on finishing the composition of the opera. The tranquillity of Betramka as well as the skittle
s in the garden provided him with the necessary relaxation. According to Georg Nikolaus von Nissen he would stand up when it was his turn to play, and no sooner had he taken his throw than he would sit down and carry on working at his score. The story of how the overture
was written at the very last moment is well-known, though we cannot be sure whether this happened in Bertramka or in his town lodgings. It was performed on 29 October in the Estates Theatre
and received an ovation. Mozart was to live on the success of this production for the rest of his days, although it never solved his financial problems.
Mozart very probably stayed at Bertramka during his third prolonged visit to Prague in the summer of 1791 when the city was celebrating the coronation
of Leopold Joseph II
as king of Bohemia. Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito
was part of the celebrations, although neither he nor the opera were even mentioned by name in the official coronation brochure. Mozart on this occasion was writing for the court officials. However, once the Prague masses heard the opera they showered it with praise.
Mozart wrote two or three aria
s for Josefa. He had written Bella mia fiamma for her in 1787. In 1791 he also wrote the aria Io ti lascio, o cara, addio, quite possibly again for her. Another aria Non piu di fiori was written for her, and she frequently included it in her concerts.
After Mozart's death the Dušeks showed much kindness to Mozart's two surviving sons. Karl Thomas Mozart spent five years in Prague and in Bertramka.
s on which Mozart would have played, and even a lock of his hair. Some original wall-paintings have been preserved. There is a bust of the composer in the garden.
During the summer months there are regular concerts which are a major attraction. Some of these are given in the garden, weather permitting, or they are in the Sala Terrena which seats an audience of about 70, and overlooks the rear terrace and garden.
was pressured into donating the villa to the state. After her sudden death, the donation was contested.
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
where Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
was a frequent guest. Bertramka is now a museum dedicated to the memory of Mozart and to the former owners and Mozart’s hosts: Mr and Mrs Dušek.
Bertramka is situated about a mile from the city centre. In the late 18th century it would still have been well outside the walls of the city, beneath the vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s on the slopes of Černý vrch (Black Hill). Today the villa with its grounds still maintains tranquillity.
History of Bertramka
Carthusian
The Carthusian Order, also called the Order of St. Bruno, is a Roman Catholic religious order of enclosed monastics. The order was founded by Saint Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns...
monastery for several centuries. The present villa was constructed around 1700 and consists of a large home with two-winged staircase and several outbuildings, all surrounded, as now, by a wall. It had been customary for the wealthy inhabitants of Prague to build grand houses for their relaxation not far from the city. These were often combined with agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
activities. The grounds of Bertramka were certainly used for farming as well as vine
Vine
A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners...
culture. It produced fruit, wheat, milk, poultry and vegetables. The villa appears to have got its name around the mid-18th century from Franzisca and Franz Berthram of Berthram.
Bertramka was purchased by František Dušek
František Xaver Dušek
František Xaver Dušek , was a Czech composer and one of the most important harpsichordists and pianists of his time....
and his wife Josefa Dušková
Josepha Duschek
Josepha Duschek was an outstanding soprano singer of the Classical era. She was a friend of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who wrote a number of works for her to sing.Her name is most often given in its German version as above...
in 1784 and for 15 years it was a meeting place for many great artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
s and noble aristocrat
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
s who gathered at soirées and social gatherings
Salon (gathering)
A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to...
. Concerts were held weekly during the summer months. Those taking part included Leopold Kozeluch
Leopold Kozeluch
Leopold Kozeluch was a Czech composer and teacher of classical music. He was born in the town of Velvary, in Bohemia .-Life:...
(aka Johann Anton Koželuch), Franz Niemetschek and Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Johann Nepomuk Hummel or Jan Nepomuk Hummel was an Austrian composer and virtuoso pianist. His music reflects the transition from the Classical to the Romantic musical era.- Life :...
. It is highly likely that the adventurer Giacomo Casanova
Giacomo Casanova
Giacomo Girolamo Casanova de Seingalt was an Italian adventurer and author from the Republic of Venice. His autobiography, Histoire de ma vie , is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of the customs and norms of European social life during the 18th century...
stayed there.
Following František’s death the property changed hands several times until, in 1838 it was purchased by Lambert Popelka who was a great admirer of Mozart. He contacted Mozart's son Karl Thomas Mozart
Karl Thomas Mozart
Karl Thomas Mozart was the second son, and the elder of the two surviving sons, of Wolfgang and Constanze Mozart. The other was Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart....
in 1856 and had a bust of Mozart put in the garden. In 1887 he organized a memorial gathering, at which Antonín Dvořák
Antonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
was present, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first performance of Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
. Popelka stipulated in his will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
that the two rooms that had been occupied by Mozart should never be inhabited and would be preserved as a shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
to Mozart’s memory. Bertramka remained in the hands of the Popelka family until 1918. After more changing of hands it received a state grant in 1929 and became part of the Mozart Society in the Czech Republic. Reconstruction took place gradually and in 1956 an exhibition was established in time for the bicentenary of the composer’s birth.
The Dušek family
Josefa Dušková was an extremely fine singer, highly regarded in Prague as well as outside the area. She was not only an outstanding musical talent, but also a gifted and warm-hearted host who entertained many famous people at her home. She married František Dušek in 1776. She had been having piano lessons from him for six years. František Dušek (who spelt his name in German "Duschek") was a highly regarded musician, and her marriage to him gave Josefa social status beyond that which would have been possible through her stage performances alone. She had great taste in art and sculpture and often entertained famous painters.František died in 1799 and his death gradually led to financial hardship for Josefa. She sold Bertramka and gradually moved to smaller and smaller apartments, although she continued to sing occasionally, dying in relative poverty in 1824.
Mozart and Bertramka
Mozart visited Prague five times in all: three times for prolonged visits and, in between these, twice on passing through. He first came to Prague in January 1787 for a performance of Le nozze di FigaroThe Marriage of Figaro
Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata , K. 492, is an opera buffa composed in 1786 in four acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, based on a stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais, La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro .Although the play by...
. Despite this opera having been a huge success at its first performance in Vienna in April 1786 the Viennese were already tiring of Mozart and turning their attention to other composers such as Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri was a Venetian classical composer, conductor and teacher born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, but who spent his adult life and career as a faithful subject of the Habsburg monarchy....
. Mozart was caught up in a lot of intrigues and he was desperate for money. This is why he came to Prague with his new opera. It caused a sensation and the Prague audiences were always to remain faithful to Mozart.
The Mozarts had arrived in Prague on 11 January 1787. His name was already well-known in Prague. Even the customs officer on duty at the New Gate asked, on examining Mozart’s passport, whether he was the composer of Figaro. On this occasion Josefa and František Dušek, who had met Mozart in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
, were abroad and therefore unable to host him.
Figaro was such a success that the opera manager, Pasquale Bondini, commissioned a new opera from him. This was to be Don Giovanni. He returned to Prague with his new opera in the autumn, probably in late September. He had lodgings in the town, at “Zu den drei goldenen Löwen”, another property of Dušek. Today there is a plaque on the wall which reads “V tomto domě bydlel Mozart v roce 1787” (“In this house lived Mozart in the year 1787”). Here and in Bertramka he worked on finishing the composition of the opera. The tranquillity of Betramka as well as the skittle
Skittles (sport)
Skittles is an old European lawn game, a variety of bowling, from which ten-pin bowling, duckpin bowling, and candlepin bowling in the United States, and five-pin bowling in Canada are descended. In the United Kingdom, the game remains a popular pub game in England and Wales, though it tends to be...
s in the garden provided him with the necessary relaxation. According to Georg Nikolaus von Nissen he would stand up when it was his turn to play, and no sooner had he taken his throw than he would sit down and carry on working at his score. The story of how the overture
Overture
Overture in music is the term originally applied to the instrumental introduction to an opera...
was written at the very last moment is well-known, though we cannot be sure whether this happened in Bertramka or in his town lodgings. It was performed on 29 October in the Estates Theatre
Estates Theatre
The Estates Theatre or Stavovské divadlo is a historic theatre in Prague, Czech Republic. The Estates Theatre was annexed to the National Theatre in 1948 and currently draws on three artistic ensembles, opera, ballet, and drama, which perform at the Estates Theatre, the National Theatre , and the...
and received an ovation. Mozart was to live on the success of this production for the rest of his days, although it never solved his financial problems.
Mozart very probably stayed at Bertramka during his third prolonged visit to Prague in the summer of 1791 when the city was celebrating the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of Leopold Joseph II
Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold II , born Peter Leopold Joseph Anton Joachim Pius Gotthard, was Holy Roman Emperor and King of Hungary and Bohemia from 1790 to 1792, Archduke of Austria and Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1765 to 1790. He was a son of Emperor Francis I and his wife, Empress Maria Theresa...
as king of Bohemia. Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito
La clemenza di Tito
La clemenza di Tito , K. 621, is an opera seria in two acts composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Caterino Mazzolà, after Metastasio...
was part of the celebrations, although neither he nor the opera were even mentioned by name in the official coronation brochure. Mozart on this occasion was writing for the court officials. However, once the Prague masses heard the opera they showered it with praise.
Mozart wrote two or three aria
Aria
An aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
s for Josefa. He had written Bella mia fiamma for her in 1787. In 1791 he also wrote the aria Io ti lascio, o cara, addio, quite possibly again for her. Another aria Non piu di fiori was written for her, and she frequently included it in her concerts.
After Mozart's death the Dušeks showed much kindness to Mozart's two surviving sons. Karl Thomas Mozart spent five years in Prague and in Bertramka.
The museum today
The exhibition we see today was opened in 1956. It contains memorabilia relating to Mozart’s visit to Bertramka and Prague. There are two keyboard instrumentKeyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
s on which Mozart would have played, and even a lock of his hair. Some original wall-paintings have been preserved. There is a bust of the composer in the garden.
During the summer months there are regular concerts which are a major attraction. Some of these are given in the garden, weather permitting, or they are in the Sala Terrena which seats an audience of about 70, and overlooks the rear terrace and garden.
Closed
The museum was closed on November 1st, 2009, after then President of the Mozart Society Jitka SnížkováJitka Snížková
Jitka Snížková was a Czech composer, music educator and musicologist. As the President of the Mozart Society, which owned Bertramka, she was pressured into donating the property to the National Committee of Prague in 1986. Bertramka was the villa where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived while he was in...
was pressured into donating the villa to the state. After her sudden death, the donation was contested.
Reopened
After 14 years of legal battle with the city hall of Prague 5, represented by highly controversial mayor Milan Jančík and with influential private society Comenius run by former communist secret police agent Karel Muzikář which rented Bertramka, the courts ruled in favour of Mozart's Society and ordered the restitution of the property. On 26/11/2009, Prague 5 and Comenius ransacked the villa and returned it to Mozart's Society. With a help from numerous people and most notably fellow Mozart's Societies from abroad, Bertramka opened again on July 6, 2010 for a daily operation from 10 am to 6 pm.External links
- Bertramka Mozart Society (English/German version)