Composer: Mozart
How indulgent: Worryingly indulgent
How: Mozart’s 1787 operatic masterpiece ‘Don Giovanni’ was described by French composer Gounod as ‘a work without blemish’, and inspired works from Liszt, Tchaikovsky and Françaix. However, Mozart composed the overture to the opera whilst suffering from a hangover. As far as food was concerned, his favourite dish was liver dumplings with sauerkraut.
Did you know: Mozart enjoyed regular visits to the inn, and is believed to have died of either kidney failure or syphilis. In the portrait above, the former prodigy is believed to have been posing at his favourite pub in Munich, the ‘At the Black Eagle’, whose owner Mozart knew well. The artist behind the portrait – Johann Georg Edlinger – is alleged to have met the composer at this inn.
Now indulge yourself with….. Overture to ‘Don Giovanni’
Those buoyant rhythms suddenly adopt a different guise when you realise that the inspiration may have been more alcoholic than divine.
