What was the main claim to fame of the Italian-American Lorenzo da Ponte (pictured)?

Lorenzo da Ponte was the adopted name of Emanuele Conegliano (1749-1838) who was born in Italy, but later took American citizenship. Although he was also an author and was ordained into the priesthood early in life, he is far and away most widely known as the librettist of the three most famous Italian language operas of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) - "The Marriage of Figaro" (1786), "Don Giovanni" (1787), and "Così fan tutte" (1790).

His family was originally Jewish, but they "officially" converted to Catholicism. Despite taking holy orders, the young Lorenzo led an anything but pious life, and was banished from Venice for 15 years for his dissolute behaviour, subsequently seeking various posts in Austria and Germany as well as his native land.

The turning point came when he met Antonio Salieri (1750-1825), Mozart's great rival, unjustly rumoured to have poisoned him. Through him, he met Mozart, and his heyday began with their collaboration on these 3 great works.

Sadly, after Mozart's premature death, da Ponte's fortunes plummeted again, and faced with angry creditors, he fled to the United States. However, later in life, things vastly improved for the better, and he founded the Italian Opera in New York City, seen as the precursor of the Metropolitan Opera. Unlike Mozart he had a grand funeral - but the position of his final resting place is now, also, unknown.