Things came to a head in 1781 immediately after the successful premiere of Mozart’s first mature work, Idomeneo, in Munich. Though his position improved and a generous salary was offered, the composer felt the Salzburg musical scene was stifling for a man of his enormous talent and creativity. When the new prince archbishop, Count Hieronymus Colloredo, was appointed in 1771, Mozart also found he was released for guest engagements with less frequency. Although many of his early operas were commissioned by Milanese and Munich nobles ( Mitridate, Ascanio in Alba, Lucio Silla, La finta giardiniera), he could not rise beyond Konzertmeister of the Salzburg archbishopric. Often playing with his sister Maria Anna (“Nannerl”), herself an accomplished musician, young Wolfgang charmed the royal courts of Europe, from those of Austrian Empress Maria Theresa, French king Louis xv and English king George iii, to the lesser principalities of Germany and Italy.Īs Mozart grew older, his concert tours turned into a search for permanent employment, but this proved exceedingly difficult for a German musician in a market dominated by Italian composers. With the mixed motives of religious piety and making a tidy profit, Leopold embarked on a series of concert tours showing off the child’s extraordinary talents. His prodigious talents were apparent very early in his life by the age of four he could reproduce on the keyboard a melody played to him, at five he could play the violin with perfect intonation, and at six he composed his first minuet.Ī musician himself, Wolfgang’s father, Leopold, immediately saw the potential of his son’s talents. Child wonder, virtuoso performer and prolific creative artist, Mozart is the first composer whose operas have never been out of repertory.

Amadeus wolfgang