Mozart Book

Vienna offered the freedom I had long desired. For the first time, I was living as a true artist - independent, optimistic, and on the brink of starvation. Despite the…

After the success of Idomeneo in Munich, I felt ready to ride the wave of glory. I was also keenly aware that returning to Archbishop Colloredo’s Salzburg carried a certain…

It had been five years since I had last composed an opera, and I worried that my dramatic instincts were beginning to fade, gathering dust that even the holiest water…

After the tragedy in Paris, I returned to Salzburg and resumed my role as Konzertmeister. The position paid a useful 450 Gulden[i] a year, a respectable sum - particularly considering…

After several months in Mannheim, I found myself genuinely enjoying life in the city. I formed friendships with local musicians, began teaching, and received commissions for both performance and composition.…

Salzburg began to feel increasingly confining. I loved my family, and I loved music, but I did not love being scheduled neatly between lunch and confession. The rigid structure of…

Despite being busier than church bells on a Sunday morning, I was alert to the possibility of personal commissions - anything that might interrupt the reliable monotony of daily obligations.…

With some reluctance, I accepted that my time away from Salzburg was coming to an end and that I could no longer find convincing reasons to extend my absence. The…

Salzburg was undeniably beautiful - an ideal place to be born, yet a dreadful place to remain. My spirit thrived on improvisation, spontaneity, and unpredictability. Salzburg preferred order, discipline, and…

During my extended stay in Milan, I was occupied with the ongoing performances of my opera Lucio Silla. The production was a great success. Each evening brought full houses, elegant…