Fleeing the Nazi regime, Austrian Jewish intellectuals, philosophers, writers, artists, and architects came to Los Angeles, bringing along Vienna’s urban spirit as their carry-on luggage. With reference to his current Haydn exhibition and earlier projects on Mozart and Da Ponte, Professor Herbert Lachmayer’s lecture shed new light on this Austro-American relationship and introduced the sustained importance of enlightened absolutism for Vienna, the development of 20th century avant-gardes, and Hollywood popular culture.