Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg (Austria) on 27th January, 1756.

As 2006 marks 250 years since the composer's birth, plenty of cultural events are planned for the year ahead.

Mozart 2006:
Austria‘s official website marking Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart‘s 250th birthday. Includes a Mozart Birthday video.

Salzburg

The city of Mozart's birth should be first on your list of places to visit during Mozart 2006.

The Mozart family lived on the third floor of the Hagenauer House in Tragasse, now known as Getreidegasse.

The house where Joannes Chrisostomus Wolfgang Gottlieb was born, is number 9; although you won't miss the big yellow building with a huge Austrian flag flying beside it. Mozart's Geburtshaus is also written in large white letters on the facade.

Mozart 2006 Salzburg:
The regional authorities in Salzburg passed a special budget amounting to €7 million for Mozart Year 2006. The existing outline programme conveys a very varied and contrasting approach to Mozart, with an emphasis on contemporary creative activity and the involvement of young people.

Throughout the year there will be an exhibition in the new Salzburg Museum on the Mozartplatz, entitled Viva! Mozart.

Mozart Week:
The International Mozarteum Foundation opens Mozart Year on Wolfgang Amadeus' 250th birthday on 27th January, 2006 (at 8pm); with a grand festive concert that will also be one of the unique musical highlights of the 51st Mozart Week.

Best of Mozart:
The Mozarteum Orchestra and the Salzburg Chamber Soloists will perform 29 special concerts in Salzburg, between February and November, featuring Mozart's most captivating music in the Mozart Year 2006.

This summer's Salzburg Festival will also include 22 operas by Mozart, between July 24th and August 31st. There's also 10 drama productions and 67 concerts to choose from during the festival.

Mozart Museums:
Follow the path of Salzburg’s most famous son. Visit the museums of the International Mozarteum Foundation to find out how Mozart grew up and lived and tour the important historical sites, where Mozart’s genius compositions originated.

A House For Mozart:
The reopening of the Kleines Festspielhaus - now the House for Mozart - is scheduled for July 26rd, 2006, and will be marked by a performance of 'Le Nozze di Figaro' under the direction of Nikolaus Harnoncourt.

Vienna

The Wiener Mozartjahr 2006 Infocenter, on Herbert-von-Karajan-Platz, is the first port of call if you're looking for up-to-date information about Mozart in Vienna. Here you can obtain programme information as well as tickets for the events of Wiener Mozartjahr 2006.

Wiener Mozartjahr 2006:
From 27th to 29th January the whole of Vienna will be celebrating the birth of Austria's famous son.

Mozarthaus Vienna:
Mozart lived on the representative first floor, known as the bel étage, of the house at Domgasse 5, from September 1784 to April 1787. This was the largest and most expensive apartment he occupied during his years in Vienna and the one in which the family stayed the longest.

Mozart and the Cinema:
Filmarchiv Austria presents various cinematic approaches to the character and works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the myth surrounding him.

Prague, Czech Republic

In December 1786 the Italian impresario Pasquale Bondini presented Le nozze di Figaro at the Nostitz (The Estates) Theatre. Unlike in Vienna, where the opera had not received much attention and soon disappeared from repertoire, in Prague its success was immense.

In January 1787 Mozart went to Prague for the first time to conduct Le nozze di Figaro himself.

Mozart Prague 2006:
In 2006 Prague and its visitors will have an opportunity to get to know all Mozart's works connected with Prague and to gain insight into the richness of his music.

United Kingdom

Classical Opera:
Founded in 1997 by conductor Ian Page,the Classical Opera Company is devoted to presenting the works of Mozart and his contemporaries.

The Royal Opera House, London:
To mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, The Royal Opera mounts a new production of his setting of the second of Beaumarchais' domestic but politically charged 'Figaro' comedies, as adapted by librettist Lorenzo da Ponte. (Jan 31 - Jul 6).

The London Philharmonic Orchestra plays Mozart at the Queen Elizabeth Hall (12, 15, 17 and 18 Feb).

Mostly Mozart:
London's largest festival celebrating the 250th anniversary of Mozart takes place at the Barbican, from 6th June to 5th July.

Mozart at the Library:
To mark the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, the British Library presents a series of events, including foyer concerts, talks, a special exhibition and a preview of a major new documentary film, 'In Search of Mozart' .

Further Reading


The Compleat Mozart:
A guide to the musical works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Technorati: Mozart