Every once in a while, something happens which alters the fortunes of people and place – instilling a renewed sense of culture, heritage and identity. Such was the case for Vienna, Austria’s illustrious capital, when Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart chose to make the city his home in the 18th century.
Listed among the foremost composers, musicians and artists of all time, Mozart spent much of his short life living and working in Vienna. Born in Salzburg, the young prodigy made the Austrian capital his primary home, as well as his final resting place.
Today, Vienna lives and breathes for Mozart, whose legacy is evident from Schönnbrunn Palace to the Ringstrasse. Join Scenic on the waters of the Danube, and you’ll have the chance to uncover the history of Mozart throughout the city, with special tours and private concerts offering remarkable insight into his life and times.
To inspire your Danube river cruise, here we introduce a brief history of Mozart and his Vienna.
While Mozart is linked to several European cities – most prominently Salzburg and Prague – Vienna is without question the place where his legacy is most entrenched. The Austrian capital inspired the young prodigy’s most creative and prodigious works, and it was here where he chose to build a life with his wife Constanze Weber and their six children.
Mozart’s relationship with Vienna began in 1762, when the Mozart children were invited to perform for Maria Theresia at the extraordinary Schönnbrunn Palace. Aged just five at the time, Mozart’s talent was plain to see, and the experience was the beginning of an extraordinary career – and a life-long love affair with the Viennese way of life.
In 1781, Mozart returned to Vienna aged 25, marrying Constanze Weber a year later at the beautiful St Stephen’s Cathedral. Reaching the peak of his career around 1790, the composer lived and worked in many buildings across the city, and performed regularly in such venues as the Schönnbrunn Palace, Imperial Palace and the Grand Hall of the National Library.
Mozart died aged 35 on December 5, 1791, just days after completing his timeless masterpiece, Requiem. His final resting place is the Cemetery of St Marx, though his grave is unmarked, as was the custom in Austria at the time.
Today, Mozart lives on in Vienna, with countless attractions celebrating the life and times of this musical icon. From a private concert at Palais Liechtenstein to a guided tour of buildings and sites linked to the composer, Scenic can help you unearth the legacy of Mozart in the Austrian capital.