European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 14, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse New York times a a a on dec. 5, 1791, Wolfgang amadeus Mozart died in Vienna of poisoning while working on a requiem mass commissioned by a Gray cloaked stranger. Too poor to buy even a proper coffin Mozart a wife Constanze buried the composer in an unmarked pauper s grave with four other bodies. Right Quot look the creation of these myths is a very complicated affair Quot said Gunter Brosche director of the Musig coll<�pt7on at the austrian National Library in Vienna. Quot on one hand we re of the opinion that modern Mozart research has cleared up these legends for the most part. But it s not like that in the minds of the Public and in the. Quot a a. A a a. In the Mammoth yearlong festival under Way in Vienna to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Mozart s death the music is certainly the main thing. But in special exhibitions and publications for tourists Vienna is also trying to set. Straight the legends about the composer who lived in Vienna for the last decade olt his life a a. Contemporary research has concluded that Mozart probably died of the effects of a bloodletting administered to counter acute rheumatic fever and he almost certainly knew that the requiem which he had worked on the night of his death had been commissioned by count Franz von Alsegg Steppach who wanted to pass it off As his own. Quot there s no hint of poisoning and there s no hint of a Gray messenger Quot said Brosche. While Mozart was heavily indebted when he died he did earn enough to live on. Quot but neither he nor Constanze could handle Money Quot Brosche said. Quot what they had they a finally the sparse funeral and burial were in line with regulations enacted at the time by emperor Joseph it who in the full spirit of the enlightenment had abolished the ecclesiastical pomp of funerals. While the modern version of these legends was propagated in the play amadeus and later in the film the earliest confusion came just weeks after Mozart s death in a newspaper report that suggested he might have beef poisoned. Constanze and the romantics of the 19th Century also embellished the Story of Mozart s life. Quot it s futile to to a Correct the film and to Point out the historical errors Quot said Peter Weiser who oversees. Vienia s Mozart festivities. Quot we re just trying to get rid of some of the rubbish like the a ,. Mozart in Vienna yearlong festival commemorates composer s death the Skull in 1902 a still that was said to be Mozart s was bequeathed to the International Mozar Teum foundation Salzburg based research institution that holds the world s most important collection of Mozart Memorabilia. A a a. A since then anthropologists palaeontologists forensic. Specialists and geologists have examined the Skull to try to determine what ther it is authentic. Quot our Olti Cial opinion is that it very possibly is Mozart s Quot Skull but the absolute proof is not to be had with the scientific technology now available Quot said or. Hans Peter Kamerer a doctor associated with the Moza item who directs research into the Skull. A whether the Skull can Ever be identified As Mozart s probably depends on four snippets of hair a said to be. Irony Mozart s head a that Are also in the Possession of the Mozar Teum a a a a a a. A. A three of the tour snippets definitely come from the. Same head research has shown but there is still noway to. Test whether these hairs came from this Skull Kamerer said. But some people say the discussion about the Skull and hair is coming from people who want to Market Mozart relics and trans Lam Salzburg into a Lourdes. Quot the Mozar Teum is very jealous of is because Mozart hated Salzburg so much that he left and never went Back Quot Weiser said. Quot they want to be the grave Watt hers of Mozart without having the grave but now they can say they have the Skull. Even the Mozar Teum readily acknowledges that the Skull is just a footnote. A Quot Only the music is important Quot Kamerer said. Quot but the Skull is there and the world is interested in All this does not mean that there is no mystery to. Mozart Quot in the end we do know a lot about Mozart s life but Mozart As a person and As a Genius is difficult for us to grasp Quot Brosche said. Quot it s incredibly difficult when not impossible to draw a connection Between his Lile and his work. A a a a a. A a a a a a. A Quot first he writes the most profound Nisic Over created in the West and then 10 minutes later he indulges in the most shallow jokes and uses these Loc Al expressions and anal Enji sessions Quot he said. Quot then he s supposed to have finished a piece like say a Don , and then went bleating and mooing dumping Over tables and chairs. Now there is something incomprehensible about All Mozart 1991 live in Vienna Here Are some of the events in Vienna commemorating the 200th anniversary of Mozart a festival concerts with International celebrities ii including sir George Solti Claudio Abrado and Anne Sophie mutter Church music sundays St. Michael a Church program includes Seldom performed works played at the 10 . concerts april 4-oct. 10 palais Augarten _ concerts on festival May 12-june 17konzerthausinternational music festival under the motto a Mozart and of music june 26-sept. 2internationally renowned artists perform Mozart s works in some of Vienna a most attractive locations such As the courtyard of the City Hall and in old town palaces. Mozart festival nov. 24-dec. 21konzerthaus program to be requiem de asst. Stephan a Cathedral the Vienna philharmonic orchestra performs Mozart a last thursdays five great Mozart operas performed in state opera May 10-june 8 sept. 1-year end two Mozart seasons with All the great operas performed in the original language most conducted by Nicolaus Harnoncourt. Theater an Der Wien May 12-june 17 Claudio Abrado conducts the marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni. Schonbrunn Palace july August the Wiener Kamme Roper performs the magic flute twice a week. 1 a. A a. A. A film City Hall july August films of Mozart a operas shown on an outdoor screen. Performances each evening weather permitting. Admission is free. A exhibitions magic sounds Mozart in Vienna until sept. .15kunstlerhaus audio visual display of Mozart a life work and May september Homburg. Display focuses on the legends surrounding the a requiem a Mozart s unfinished last work. Daily except sound of Mozart May 2-oct. 27hofburg display of original instruments scores and recordings with a series of concerts. Paily except 1791-1991 nov. 19-Jan. 4musikvereinexhibition sponsored by the Archive of Austria a society of the friends of music. Daily except sundays. Other Mozart related events include performances of Peter Schaffer s hit amadeus in the theater in Der Josef Stadt performances of Maurice be Jartz a new dance spectacle Mozart k Vienne oct. 13-24 location to be announced excursions on a Danube liner guided walks through Vienna in Mozart a footsteps with visits to his Homes and activities for children designed to teach them about Mozart a music through fun and More information on events in Vienna Contact the Vienna tourist Board 5, a-1095 Vienna Tel. 0043 01 435974. A a 24-hour information line has been set up in Germany. Call 01-30-2544, leave your name and address and Send the information. Cost is the Price of a local phone Call. Compiled by Anita Gosch 1. A. A a opera february 14, 1991 stripes Magazine 9
