When and where was Josef Mysliveček born?
Josef Mysliveček entered the world on the 9th of March 1737 in Prague. He was one of twin sons born to a prosperous mill owner who lived on Melantrichova Street.
Questions about Josef Mysliveček
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Why did Josef Mysliveček abandon his career as a master miller?
Josef Mysliveček abandoned that profession to pursue music instead after achieving the rank of master miller in 1761. His early composition studies took place under Franz Johann Habermann and Josef Seger during the early 1760s before he traveled to Venice.
How did Josef Mysliveček die and what caused his facial disfigurement?
Mysliveček died destitute in Rome on the 4th of February 1781 after years of financial irresponsibility. An incompetent surgeon burned off his nose while attempting to treat a mysterious illness which likely resulted from tertiary syphilis though Mysliveček claimed bone cancer caused by a carriage accident.
What is the true origin of the nickname Il Boemo for Josef Mysliveček?
The nickname originated from a romanetto by Jakub Arbes published in 1884 long after his death. Reports claiming he was called Il divino Boemo during his lifetime are false according to modern scholarship.
Which opera by Josef Mysliveček achieved great success in Naples in 1767?
Il Bellerofonte achieved great success in Naples after its premiere on the 20th of January 1767 at the Teatro San Carlo. This triumph led to numerous commissions from Italian theaters that almost always featured first-rate singers in leading roles.