Bella Italia

In 1769 Leopold Mozart decides, that his genius son needs to get to know the Italian world of music, where leading musicians came from and were educated in. Along Innsbruck, Verona, Mantua, Milano, Bologna, Florence and Rome their path leads up to Naples.

Young Mozart is well received in Italy. In 1770 he is commissioned to compose his first Italian opera, he meets the famous Giovanni Battista Martini, who is great support from then on. Mozart is rewarded with the “Orden vom goldenen Sporn” by Pope Clemens XIV.

In Bologna, Mozart is accepted by the Accademia di Bologna, a high ranking music academy. Mozart’s first opera premier “Mitridate” in Milano in 1770 is extremly successful.

In 1771, father and son Mozart return to Salzburg. Another opera assignment in honor of Archduke Ferdinand of Milano’s marriage leads to more travels to Italy. Mozart hopes to be employed by the royal family. Due to an intervention of the Empress herself, Mozart is let down on these hopes. Disappointed, he goes back to Salzburg the same winter.