"There are artists who sometimes may reach the heavens with their work; Mozart however, well he comes from there (the heavens), he comes from there” – a quote by Josef Kripps, a famous Austrian famous conductor.

We know that Mozart (baptized as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Teophilus) traveled extensively as a child and as grown-up – with his father Leopold and his sister Nannerl, later with his wife Constance - in his not quite 36 years he visited 200 European cities.

In this anniversary year there will be Mozart aficionados who may wish to retrace the composer’s steps and attempt to visit them all. LET THEM – because as many of us know Mozart sounds best in his native Austria . Therefore many will converge on” Mozart Central” – Vienna & Salzburg – where the most wonderful and numerous new productions and performances are being offered.

In Salzburg all of his twenty-two operas (even his early one such as La Finta Giardiniera) will be performed during this year – many at the world famous Salzburg Festival (July 21 – August 31), others in the Landestheater during the year. Salzburg will also host 260 concerts of his music during the year 2006 and 55 masses devoted to Mozart’s sacred music. 

A great exhibit “Viva Mozart” showing manuscripts, letters, paintings and other objects related to Mozart’s life and times, has been opened at the Carolino Augusteo Museum at the Neue Residenz. The Mozarteum Orchestra and the Salzburg Chamber Soloists will be playing Mozart’s music on 29 weekends at the Mozarteum (a university and foundation devoted to music and performing arts). The Mozart house where Mozart was born shows an eclectic mix of Mozartiana including the violin he learned on as a child and a copy of a 1764 composition he wrote in his own hand at age 8.

In Vienna you will find – new for 2006 - distinctive red “CALLING MOZART” pillars marking 50 locations that were of central importance for Mozart during his life in this city. These pillars, which will be set up during the entire Mozart year, provide audio information via mobile phone or audio guide about Mozart’s life and work as well as examples of his music at the original locations where he lived and worked – a bridge via phone from the 18^th century into now.

Performances of Mozart’s operas (many of them new productions) will take place during the year in the Vienna State Opera, Volksoper (p.ex.La Clemenza de Tito), Vienna Kammer Oper, Schönbrunn Palace Marionette Theatre and last but certainly not least in the Theater an der Wien, built in 1705. Mozart composed the ”Magic Flute” for his friend Schikaneder who owned the theater which became a resounding success (Idomeneo with Neil Shicoff under Seiji Ozawa).

The Vienna Festival in May will have highlights such as 12 piano concerts played by Rudolf Buchbinder (himself a child prodigy) with the Vienna Philharmonic. During the summer months Mozart operas and concert performances from the world’s leading houses can be seen on a giant screen everyday at dusk, admission free, in front of Vienna ’s Neo-Gothic Town Hall . All of his church music will be performed in 30 churches through out the city.

The famous Vienna Albertina museum will present a comprehensive Mozart exhibition – Not only that the Albertina Graphics collection was founded in Mozart’s time by Albert, Duke of Saxony and empress Maria-Theresia’s son-in law, it was also here where Ludwig von Köchel, who catalogued Mozart’s work In the “Köchelverzeichnis” subsequently taught; conduct Mozart’s “Little Night Music and guide the Vienna Philharmonic through the work like a maestro in the Haus der Musik, Vienna ’s interactive sound museum. And a wonderful new museum has been opened in the only Mozart apartment (Camesina-Haus) that has survived to this day as Mozart House Vienna.

“Without doubt a genius like Mozart will always remain a miracle that cannot be explained” (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)

By going there – to Vienna and Salzburg  – you may be able to find your own explanations to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.