Europe and US plan to celebrate 250th birth anniversary of Mozart tomorrow
A series of aphorisms on Wolfgang Mozart by pianist and composer Ferruccio Busoni (1906)
On January 27 the world celebrates the 250th birth anniversary of the great composer Mozart. In Europe and the US a series of events is being held to mark the occasion. In Europe the birth festivities will reflect a somewhat neglected aspect of his career--his wide range of travels.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Apparently Mozart (1756-1791) had an itinerant life. He spent over 10 of 35 years away from home--that is outside Salzburg or Vienna. He visited more than 200 towns and other sites. Now, 250 years after his birth, more than 75 partner towns have joined hands on 'Mozart's European Routes'. In sum, there will be varied forms of commemoration for the composer in almost everywhere he passed through his short and rocky life. The hub of the celebrations are 10 countries--Belgium, Germany, Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
The festival, 'Mozart Prague 2006' will include more than 150 concerts, opera performances, exhibitions and other events. On the cards is a festival performance of Don Giovanni in the Prague Staendetheater, exactly 219 years after the great composer conducted the premiere at the same venue. Likewise, from January 27 to February 14, the Bavarian State Opera will perform six major operas, including La Clemenza di Tito, Cosi fan tutte and Don Giovanni, among others. A memorial concert is scheduled to be conducted by Zubin Mehta alongside other events.
The US too is abuzz with activity. Among the celebrations are the National Symphony Orchestra's semi-staged rendition of Mozart's early opera Abduction from the Seraglio. Then the duo Misha and Cipa Dichter will play Mozart works for piano four-hands as well as for two pianos at the Kennedy Centre Terrace Theatre.
Explaining Mozart's continued appeal, Tim Page, staff writer for the Washington Post, states, "I suspect that a principal reason for Mozart's popularity is his universality. He speaks to almost everybody (the only convinced Mozart-haters who come to mind are Noel Coward and Glenn Gould) and he never pushes us. If all you want from one of his compositions are some good tunes and seraphic harmonies, he will surely provide them. If you want much, much more, Mozart, in virtually all of his mature pieces, will provide that too."