Host Scott Yoo meets with the great-great-great grandson of Niccolò Paganini to discuss the famed virtuoso’s life.
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TRANSCRIPT
In 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]
