Niccolò Paganini Descendent Debunks Family Rumors
Clip: Season 51 Episode 15 | 2m 57sVideo has Closed Captions
Scott Yoo meets with a descendent of Paganini to discuss the virtuoso's life.
Host Scott Yoo meets with the great-great-great grandson of Niccolò Paganini to discuss the famed virtuoso's life.
Major series funding for GREAT PERFORMANCES is provided by The Joseph & Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, Sue...
Niccolò Paganini Descendent Debunks Family Rumors
Clip: Season 51 Episode 15 | 2m 57sVideo has Closed Captions
Host Scott Yoo meets with the great-great-great grandson of Niccolò Paganini to discuss the famed virtuoso's life.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipIn Parma.
I was headed to another cemetery to get the real story from none other than Niccol ò Paganini.
No, not this one.
This one.
Paganini's great, great, great grandson.
With him was translator Cecilia Grosso.
[Speaking Italian] Playing the violin and having a name such as Paganini.
[Speaking Italian] My understanding was that Paganini had Marfan syndrome, which made his fingers very long, and he was very flexible and he could play anything on the violin.
But it also weakened the the vessels and arteries inside his body, which ultimately led to his death.
Is that true?
[Speaking Italian] It's interesting.
It was rumored that he was a big gambler and he had financed a casino in France, which failed, and he ended up having to sell a bunch of instruments and it really affected him.
Is that true?
[Speaking Italian] When Paganini died, he left a five story country villa to his heirs.
Niccol òs family lived here until World War II.
He took me to the house, which is now a convent for a little picnic.
So we're sitting here in front of Paganini's villa.
Obviously, this is a very wealthy person that can afford a house like this.
How many concerts did he play in a year?
[Speaking Italian] Wow.
So he's a conductor.
He's also a teacher.
And then also he was his own impresario.
He was promoting himself.
[Speaking Italian]
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Explore the work of two legendary virtuosos, Niccolò Paganini and Robert Johnson. (30s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipMajor series funding for GREAT PERFORMANCES is provided by The Joseph & Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, Sue...