BBC - The Genius of Mozart - (2004) Part 2 - A Passion for the Stage

Charles Hazelwood looks at Mozart's extraordinary life and music. Aired on BBC 2, Monday 4th to Wednesday 6th April 2005 (Originally broadcast Friday 19th March to 2nd April 2004.) TV capture, done in DVD recorder, 3 parts, 1 hour duration, 500 MB each.

Part 2 - A Passion for the Stage

Charles Hazlewood examines three of Mozart's greatest operas, and shows how The Magic Flute. Idomeneo, and The Marriage of Figaro revolutionised the musical theatre.

The first great phase of Mozart's brief life was that of the travelling child prodigy - gifted as a performer and writer of music - who grew into the genius who, working within the restrictions of his time, began to rewrite the musical rules.

But there was another facet to Mozart - the adult thinker aware of the bigger picture, passionately attached to the progressive values of the Enlightenment - impressively well-read, a speaker of most European languages (even a little English), an Austrian Catholic, a Freemason and above all a composer at the height of his formidable powers, determined to succeed in the most difficult and lucrative area of all - Opera.