By Scott Sieber
Lorenzo Daponte, the 18th century librettist, or lyricist, who wrote the words to three of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's most famous compositions, “Le Nozze di Figaro,” “Don Giovanni” and “Cosi Fan Tutte” immigrated to America exactly 200 years ago as of Sunday, June 19. For his life, Daponte was a jack-of-all- trades, according to Jeff Gottlieb, president of the Central Queens Historical Association, who at various times worked as a writer, teacher, entrepreneur and artist in New York City and Pennsylvania. When he died in 1838, he was buried in a Lower East Side Catholic Cemetery and then was reinterred in 1909 at Calvary Cemetery in Sunnyside.To this day, Daponte's exact gravesite is unknown because many of the bodies beneath the ground in the Lower East Side cemetery were buried at Calvary without their headstones. “But he's here,” Gottlieb proclaimed outside of Section 4B at Calvary. “Somewhere he's here, we just don't know exactly where.”Aside from his significance in the world of classical music, Daponte holds a special significance for Italian Americans with a love of the homeland, for his works in keeping Italian culture alive in America.”He set up his own boarding house for Italian Americans, he taught literature, he opened up the first opera house in the United States of America and he became the first professor of Italian literature at Columbia University, ” Gottlieb explained. “New York City was really becoming a cultural center by that time. He was the first one in America to translate 'Dante' into English. He was a very sharp guy.”Gottlieb, accompanied by representatives from the Native New Yorkers Historical Society, the Richmond Hill Historical Society and the Museum of Italian Culture, stood by a substitute headstone honoring Daponte adorned with fresh flowers to pay their respects.International operatic singer Caterina Curatolo sang “Ave Maria” and led the group in a “Tarantella,” a celebratory traditional Italian dance around the headstone.”If any of the old timers saw us doing this, they would be crossing their hearts,” she said after the dance. “But considering the life he led, I think it's appropriate.”Reach reporter Scott Sieber by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
