Michael Nyman - Letters, Riddles and Writs (1991)

Currently undergoing a Czech stage revival, Letters, Riddles and Writs is an opera in one act for television by Michael Nyman that was commissioned as part of the BBC's 'Not Mozart' series commemorating the 200th anniversary of Mozart's death. With a libretto by directors Jeremy Newson and Pat Gavin, the loose and fantastical story was conceived by Nyman focuses on the relationship between Mozart and his father and, at one point, also pokes fun at the charges of plagiarism leveled against him by some of his critics.
CAST:
Mozart - Ute Lemper
Leopold Mozart/Hans Georg Nägeli - David Thomas
Joseph Haydn - Julian Glover
Ludwig van Beethoven - Tony Rohr
Court Pianist - Michael Nyman
For more info: www.imdb.com/title/tt0102290/

[@alanrobertandrews6493]

How Michael Makes a great story - a Masterpiece

[@tomasmarek7425]

Thank you, thank you, thank you thousand times, dear MinimalEffort, for uploading this gem!

[@grashiano1]

Mozart, Nyman, Ute Lemper , qué más se puede pedir? gracias por coompartir!

[@paulwesterman]

I have this on VHS and have always loved it, especially 'I am an unusual thing'.

[@ansuzgardaraiwo666]

.. " you really must consider the best wellment of your parent, or else your soul will go to the devil..." Nice dad was Leopold.

[@victorgonzalez3212]

genial Mr. Nyman

[@adampurti837]

Can anyone have all the text of "O my dear papa" song? Starts at 4:05...

[@adampurti837]

Finded. The texts are adaptations from two different letters, translated by Emily Anderson. One letter is from Leopold Mozart to his son W.A.Mozart in 1778, that originally says:"Oh my dear son, when you were a child, I gave up all my time to you in the hope that not only would you be able to provide later on for yourselves, but also that I might enjoy a comfortable old age, be able to give an account to God of the education of my children, be free from all anxiety, devote myself to the welfare of my soul and thus be enable to meet my death in peace. If you stay away I’ll die much sooner. If I could have you leave with me I’ll live several years longer". The other letter is from W.A.Mozart to his father in 1781 that originally says: "Oh my dear papa. He knows that my sole aim is to help you and to help us all. Must I repeat it a hundred times thet I can be of more use to you here in Vienna then there in Salszburg? I implore you, dearest, most beloved father, for the future to spare me such letters. I entreat you to do so, for they only irritate my mind and disturb my heart and spirit; and I, who must now keep on composing, need a cheerful mind and a calm disposition.”