Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
MUSIC HISTORY
Mozart biography, works and vocal music: line, agility, Queen of the Night high notes and Singspiel phrasing, landmarks for Classical bel canto studied at CALYP.
Source Adeline Toniutti · Vocal coach, founder of CALYP
Mozart biography at a glance
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was born in Salzburg and died in Vienna on 5 December 1791. A child prodigy trained by his father Leopold, he wrote in every genre: opera, symphony, concerto, chamber and sacred music. The Köchel catalogue lists more than 600 works. For singers he embodies Classical bel canto: clear line, agility and dramatic sense.
Salzburg, tours and training (1756-1781)
Leopold Mozart, chapel master, violinist and court composer to the prince-archbishop, saw his son's gifts early. Nannerl, four years older, shared those formative years. From 1762 to 1766 the tours took the child to Munich, Vienna, Germany, the Netherlands, Paris and London, where he worked with Johann Christian Bach. Success was immense everywhere.
Between 1769 and 1772 several Italian journeys brought him to Sammartini and Padre Martini; Italian style soon marked his scores. In Salzburg under Colloredo tensions grew. A 1778 Paris stay disappointed (the Gluckist / Piccinnist quarrel). On 7 May 1781 Mozart wrote that he wanted nothing more to do with Salzburg and left for Vienna as a free artist.
Vienna: creative freedom and final years
In Vienna Mozart married Constanze Weber and devoted himself to composition. Haydn told Leopold he held the son for the greatest composer he knew. Early triumphs faded as Viennese taste moved on; only Prague stayed reliably loyal. From 1788 material hardship grew while masterpieces multiplied.
In 1791 The Magic Flute (Singspiel, libretto by Schikaneder) triumphed on 30 September at the Theater an der Wien, written alongside the unfinished Requiem. Mozart died on 5 December 1791. Later voices (Wagner, Goethe, Dukas, Ghéon) stressed the unique clarity of his musical language.
Mozart's opera: Singspiel, buffa and seria
Mozart's genius may shine brightest in opera. Meeting J. C. Bach, Piccinni, Sacchini and Sammartini, he tried every type: Singspiel, opera seria, opera buffa, dramma giocoso. He elevated German Singspiel, the more popular counterpart of Italian buffa. His maxim remains famous: poetry must be the obedient daughter of music. He also wanted an aria to fit a singer like a well-made suit.
Mature landmarks: Die Entführung aus dem Serail (1782), Le nozze di Figaro (1786, Da Ponte), Don Giovanni (1787, Prague), Così fan tutte (1790), La clemenza di Tito and Die Zauberflöte (1791). Clear architecture, natural style and character psychology: this is the Classical bel canto training ground at CALYP, from line and agility to the Queen of the Night's high notes.
Symphonies, concertos and Classical style
Mozart's symphonic output runs from 1764 to 1788: 41 symphonies, mostly major, about half in three movements. The last three (1788), No. 39 in E-flat major, No. 40 in G minor and No. 41 in C major "Jupiter", crown eighteenth-century Classical symphony with Haydn.
Concertos: 28 for piano, 5 for violin, 1 for clarinet, 4 for horn, plus flute, bassoon, flute and harp. Chamber music (sonatas, 23 quartets, 6 quintets) and sacred works (Coronation Mass, C-minor Mass, Vespers, Requiem) complete the map. Natural elegance of phrase, clarity and balanced form: Mozart remains the model Classical composer, an early independent artist who paid a high material price.
Timeline and key works
- 1756: born in Salzburg.
- 1762-1766: child-prodigy tours (Munich, Vienna, Paris, London…).
- 1769-1772: Italian journeys (Sammartini, Padre Martini).
- 1781: break with Colloredo; settles in Vienna; marries Constanze Weber.
- 1782-1791: major operas (Seraglio, Figaro, Don Giovanni, Così, Tito, Magic Flute).
- 1788: last three symphonies (39, 40, 41 "Jupiter").
- 5 December 1791: dies in Vienna; Requiem unfinished.
Köchel catalogue: more than 600 numbers across all genres.
Mozart and the voice at CALYP
At CALYP (Centre d'Art Lyrique de Paris), Mozart shapes Classical bel canto study: sustained line, agility, Singspiel phrasing and exposed high notes (Queen of the Night). Adeline Toniutti, singer, teacher and author of Anatomy of Singing (Marabout / Hachette, 2024), links this repertoire to technique: posture, breath, registers and vocal health. For safe high-note work, see also how to sing high notes.
Music history is not decoration: it clarifies the style expected in lessons, masterclasses and on stage.
FAQ about Mozart
When was Mozart born and when did he die?
Mozart was born in Salzburg in 1756 and died in Vienna on 5 December 1791, aged 35, leaving the Requiem unfinished.
What are Mozart's most famous operas?
The most performed are Le nozze di Figaro (1786), Don Giovanni (1787), Così fan tutte (1790) and Die Zauberflöte (1791), plus Die Entführung and Idomeneo.
How many symphonies did he write?
The catalogue lists 41 symphonies; the last three (1788) are the summit of his orchestral work.
Why does Mozart matter for singers?
He joins natural phrasing, formal clarity and drama: a Classical bel canto model for line, agility and style.
What is the Köchel catalogue?
It is the nineteenth-century numbering of Mozart's works; it exceeds 600 entries (labelled "K." or "KV").
GO FURTHER
In the music history cluster
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