Haydn’s first opera

When Haydn was about eighteen years old he sang in a chorus.*But soon his voice broke and he lost his place as a chorister. At first he did not know what to do, how
to earn his living. He began playing the violin in the streets of Vienna, sometimes he played at dances. Very often he composed the music himself.

One day Haydn's friends decided to play a serenade under the window of a well-known clown, Bernardone Curtz by name, and asked Haydn to write the music. When the music was ready they went to the house where Curtz lived and played it. Curtz, who was at home at that hour, liked the melody so much that he appeared on the balcony and asked: "Who wrote that beautiful music?" "I did," said Haydn.

"You! Then come upstairs," said Curtz. "I would like to have a word with you."
When Haydn entered the clown's room, Curtz gave him some verses and asked to write an opera. Haydn was afraid.
"I have never written such music," he said, "but I'll try."

He set to work and everything went well till he came to a place where there was a storm at sea.
"How can I put a storm a.t sea into music when I have never seen the sea!" said Haydn. And he went to Curtz. But the clown could not help him as he had never been to the sea himself.
Haydn came up to the piano and began trying all kinds of melody but without success. At last he lost his temper, crashed his hands down upon the piano and cried out: "Dash the storm!"

"That's it! That's it!" cried Curtz jumping up of his chair, "Go on like that."
Many years have passed since Haydn's name became famous all over the world. He has written wonderful music to many operas but he could not forget the storm in his first opera. He always laughed when he thought of it.