Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) — Austrian composer of extraordinary natural genius, prolific across every genre of his era.
In Depth
Mozart composed over 600 works in a career of barely 30 years, producing masterpieces in every genre: opera (The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute), symphonies, piano concertos, string quartets, and sacred music. His music combines seemingly effortless melodic beauty with profound structural sophistication.
Mozart was a child prodigy who toured Europe performing for royalty from the age of six. Despite his fame, he struggled financially throughout his adult life and died at 35 under circumstances that remain debated. His music is often described as divine — Tchaikovsky called him the musical Christ, and his ability to express the full range of human emotion within perfectly balanced forms remains unmatched.
Mozart composed the overture to Don Giovanni the night before the premiere, reportedly while drinking punch and telling jokes to his wife. The ink was still wet when the orchestra sight-read it.