13 January 2006

Longwood to hold several concerts, other programs to celebrate Mozart’s 250th birthday

Several concerts and other programs will be held by the Longwood University Department of Music to celebrate the 250th birthday of the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The programs, all free and open to the public, include five concerts, an opera, and a showing of the award-winning 1984 film about Mozart’s life. Unless otherwise noted, each event will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Wygal’s Molnar Recital Hall.

The film Amadeus will be shown Saturday, Jan. 21, at 2 p.m. at the Farmville-Prince Edward Community Library, 217 W. Third St.

Two separate concerts of Mozart’s music will be presented by music students, performing as soloists, on Friday, Jan. 27, and by music faculty on Saturday, Jan. 28.

Faculty will present the one-act opera Mozart and Salieri on Saturday, Feb. 4. The opera for two singers, written by the great Russian composer Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov and based on one of Pushkin’s plays, tell of the relationship and rivalry between Mozart and fellow composer Antonio Salieri and examines the theory that Salieri may have killed him by poisoning him. The performance will feature Thomas Williams (baritone), Dr. Christopher Swanson (tenor) and Dr. Lisa Kinzer (piano). It will be preceded by two short lectures about Mozart, by Dr. Swanson and Dr. Charles Kinzer, also of the music faculty, about the history of that opera and its themes.

The Camerata Singers, with orchestra and soloists, will perform great choral works by Mozart and Schubert on Saturday, March 4, at 7:30 p.m. at Farmville United Methodist Church, on High Street across from the campus. The choir is directed by Dr. Dennis Malfatti.

Students in the Opera Workshop, a course taught by Dr. Swanson, will present a Tribute to Mozart concert Saturday, April 8. The concert will feature arias and ensembles from Mozart’s greatest operas, both from his well-known operas as well as the more obscure ones.

Mozart was born Jan. 27, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria, the son of composer Leopold Mozart, who educated his son in all subjects, including music. He was a child prodigy who mastered several instruments at an early age, began composing at age seven, composed his first opera at 10 and his first string quartet at 14, and had completed 30 symphonies by the time he was 20 and five piano concertos before turning 21.

“He was successful in all major genres of the Classical period and has come to be an icon for all Classical music,” said Dr. Swanson. “His name is instantly recognizable to all people, whether musicians or not. His music is heard frequently on the radio, on television, in movies, in concert halls, in churches and in schools.”

For more information on any of the events, please call Dr. Swanson at 392-4341.