I realize of course that this is a board about Rome, but I'de like to inject a historical moment if I may. I believe it pertinent, as ROman thought is such a large proportion of Western thought, influencing us strongly even today. I mean, after all...witness us here.

To musicians like myself, this is a great day; the day upon which the most brilliant composer who ever lived was born 250 years ago. He is the pinnacle upon which all else is compared musically, and his works are the culmination of everything Western musically. All composition was moved to where Mozart took it, and after his death, all great composers have been influenced by him. (I say great, becuase Phillip Glass is hardly a great composer, just as Charlotte Church is hardly a prodigy or 'great' singer.) If one can play Mozart, they can play anything.If one can sing Mozart, they can sing anything (provided it is the correct vocal fach). This is becuase in spite of the ease in which one can learn the 'tune', to do it correctly as it should, is virtually impossible. One slip of a finger, one hiccough in the breath control, and it glares at you like a horrid gash. Your technique must be of the most superior-something not developed overnight, and not developed withought dedication.

Don Giovanni is accepted as the ultimate representation of Western Work/Thought. It is not only the perfect opera (the union of all western performing arts), which has existed as you see it unchanged for 450 years (though suffering due to the earth of trained singers). No other art form has been able to claim that. It is also the combination in storyline, plot, and character development, the perfect summation of Western Ideology.

When one looks at ancient ampitheatres, the way accoustics were handled, they begin to see the relationships in sound production. Ancient sources do mention singing competitions, and choral arrangements, in a manner reflecting the very foundations of classical singing as heard in opera and much church music. If you ever have the chance to see a production of one of the ancient plays in the original Greek, you'll get a sense of what I am saying. (Obviously, some of the sounds and pronunciations are educated guesses, but I am not a lingist to highlight them.) It is a rythmic sing song of phrases, done high in the face, where resonance is maximum. Such was required to be heard and not abuse the voice.

No composer understood how to write for the human voice better than Mozart. It was an instrument that he used to give expression only the human voice can give it. But no voice no trained in this form can do it if not an instrument. The result is that Don Giovanni requires singers only of the highest calibre to be done.

It is reputed that Caesar was great lover of music. I think he would have worshiped Mozart. In fact,t he Romans being what they were, I suspect they would have been hooked on opera like a drug. Love, truth, death; its all there. Along with a great display, and a ot of music.

So, Mozart? happy birthday. Thanks for giving us the best that could be produced, within our lifetimes. May we not be so foolish to throw away the skills and techniques that have been around for aLONG time over the digitalized noise of Andre Boccelli and Sarah Brightman.