WolfgangAmadeusMozart(1756-1791):BriefBiography 　　Mozart'schildhoodhome 　　inSalzburg,Austria 　　BorninSalzburg,Austria,Mozartdisplayeduncannymusicaltalentataveryearlyage;bythetimehewasfive,hewasakeyboardvirtuoso.MozarttouredEuropeasachild,astoundingthemusicalworldandcharmingroyalaudienceswithhisimprovisationalability.Inadditiontocomposingsymphoniesatatenderage,hewrotehisfirstoperaswhilestillaboy:LaFintaSemplice,commissionedbytheEmperorJosefII;andBastienundBastienne,asingspiel(Germanfolkoperawithspokendialogue). 　　Mozartasachild 　　In1777,MozartjourneyedtoPariswithhismothertoseekaformalposition,buthehadnoluck,andreturnedhomein1779afterhismother'sdeath.AsuitablyprestigiouspositionwastoeludeMozartallhislife,duepartlytohiscomplicatedpersonalityandtactless,arrogant,oftenchildishbehavior.HemanagedtosecureajobascourtorganistinSalzburg,anappointmentheheldfortwoyearspriortothetriumphantpremiereofIdomeneo.Thisoperaseria-ahighlyformalizedtypeofdramaticoperawhichwasbecomingoutmodedinMozart'sday‹itisconsideredoneofthegreatestexamplesofthegenre.ItssuccessledMozarttotakeupresidenceinVienna. 　　ThebreakwithSalzburgmarkedthebeginningofMozart'smaturityasacomposer;nearlyeveryworkheproducedthereafterisamasterpiece.In1782,hewroteDieEntfuhrungaufdemSerail(TheAbductionfromtheSeraglio),acharmingcomicoperawhichpavedthewayforLeNozzediFigaro.Atremendoussuccessatitspremierein1786,FigarowasbasedonasatiricalcomedybytheFrenchdramatistBeaumarchais.Unparalleledinitsdepthofcharacterizationandsynthesisofmusicanddrama,Mozart'sworkcontainssomeofthemostsublimeensemblewritinginallopera. 　　FollowingthesuccessofFigaro,MozartagaincollaboratedwithlibrettistLorenzodaPonte,thistimeonaworkwhichexploredthedarksideoftraditionalcomedy;DonGiovanni(1787),anoperaofenormouspowerandeloquence,depictstheexploitsandeventualpunishmentofan 　　Mozart'shomeinVienna 　　inveteratewomanizer.CosifanTutte(1790)foundMozartworkingwithdaPonteforthelasttime.Inthiscomedicstudyofhumanfrailtyarefoundsomeofthecomposer'smostempatheticandrealisticcharacters. 　　Mozart'slastgreatopera,DieZauberflote(TheMagicFlute),writtenin1791,isasingspielwithalibrettobyimpresarioEmanuelSchikaneder.Beneaththesimple,fairy-taleplotisamessageoflove,truth,andbrotherhoodsettomusicofprofoundspiritualityandmajesty.FlutewasalsoaseminalworkinthedevelopmentofGermanmusictheater,whichhardlyexisted,accordingtoRichardWagner,priortotheopera'spremiere. 　　DuringMozart'sViennadays,hecomposedaseriesofmasterpiecesingenresotherthanopera:hismostfamouspianoconcerti(no.17inGmajor,no.20inDminor,andno.21inCmajor,amongothers);theremarkablelastsymphonies(nos.35-41);anumberofsuperbpianosonatas;tenofhis 　　Mozart'swife,Constanze 　　mostbeautifulstringquartets;theclarinetconcerto;theMassinCMinor;LaClemenzadiTito,anotheroperaseria;andtheunfinishedRequiemMass. 　　Mozartearnedalivingforhimselfandhiswife,Constanze,throughteaching,concertizing,andthefulfillmentofoccasionalco