Pray try to find the "Art of Ciphering" which you copied out, but I have
lost it, and know nothing about it. So pray do write it out again for
me, with some other copies of sums, and send them to me here.
Manzuoli has entered into a contract with the Milanese to sing in my
opera [see Nos. 2-6]. For this reason he sang four or five arias to me
in Florence, and also some of my own, which I was obliged to compose in
Milan (none of my theatrical things having been heard there) to prove
that I was capable of writing an opera. Manzuoli asks 1000 ducats. It is
not yet quite certain whether Gabrielli will come. Some say Madame de'
Amicis will sing in it; we shall see her in Naples. I wish that she and
Manzuoli could act together; we should then be sure of two good friends.
The libretto is not yet chosen. I recommended one of Metastasio's to Don
Ferdinando [Count Firmiani's steward, in Milan] and to Herr von Troyer.
I am at this moment at work on the aria "Se ardore e speranza."
11.
Rome, April 25, 1770.