Constanze Mozart

Constanze Mozart
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Name	Constanze Mozart
Caption	Portrait by Joseph Lange, c. 1782
Birth name	Maria Constanze Cäcilia Josepha Johanna Aloysia Weber
Birth date	5 January 1762
Birth place	Zell im Wiesental, Further Austria
Death date	6 March 1842 (aged 80)
Death place	Salzburg, Austrian Empire
Spouse	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (m. 1782; died 1791), Georg Nikolaus von Nissen (m. 1809; died 1826)
Children	6, including Karl Thomas Mozart and Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart
Occupation	Singer, biographer

Constanze Mozart was a central figure in the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whom she married in 1782, and a key custodian of his musical legacy following his premature death. A singer from the Weber family of musicians, she later collaborated with her second husband, Georg Nikolaus von Nissen, on an influential biography of the composer. Her efforts in preserving and promoting Mozart's works, including dealings with publishers like Breitkopf & Härtel and supporting her sons' careers, cemented her role in the transition from the Classical period to the Romantic era.

Early life and family

Born Maria Constanze Weber in Zell im Wiesental, then part of Further Austria, she was the third daughter of Fridolin Weber and his wife, Cäcilia Weber. The Weber family was deeply involved in music; her elder sister, Aloysia Weber, achieved fame as a soprano at the Mannheim court and later in Vienna, while another sister, Sophie Weber, also pursued a musical career. After her father's death, the family moved to Vienna, where her mother managed a boarding house that attracted figures from the city's artistic circles. This environment provided Constanze with a thorough musical education, and she became an accomplished singer, often performing in private salons.

Marriage to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Her relationship with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began in 1781 after he had relocated to Vienna and boarded with the Weber family. Despite initial opposition from his father, Leopold Mozart, and a complicated courtship that involved a temporary estrangement, the couple married on 4 August 1782 at St. Stephen's Cathedral. Their life together in Vienna was marked by financial instability but immense artistic productivity, with Constanze often serving as a copyist and domestic manager. She bore six children, though only two, Karl Thomas Mozart and Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart, survived infancy. During their marriage, Mozart composed many major works, including the operas ''Le nozze di Figaro'' and ''Die Zauberflöte'', with Constanze providing both practical and emotional support.

Life after Mozart's death

Following Mozart's sudden death in December 1791, she faced significant debt and the responsibility of two young children. She quickly organized a series of memorial concerts, including a notable benefit performance of Mozart's Requiem in Prague, to raise funds. To secure a financial future, she sold many of Mozart's autograph manuscripts to institutions like the King of Prussia and publishers such as Johann André in Offenbach am Main. In 1797, she embarked on a concert tour through Germany, showcasing Mozart's works and her own singing. In 1809, she married the Danish diplomat and writer Georg Nikolaus von Nissen, with whom she moved to Copenhagen before returning to Salzburg.

Later years and legacy

In Salzburg, she collaborated extensively with Nissen on a comprehensive biography of Mozart, published posthumously in 1828. This work, which drew on her personal recollections and documents, became a foundational source for later scholars, including Otto Jahn. She maintained correspondence with key musical figures of the era, such as Ludwig van Beethoven and the composer Maximilian Stadler, who helped her catalog Mozart's estate. Her efforts ensured the preservation of crucial manuscripts and promoted Mozart's music across Europe, influencing the reception of his work during the Romantic period. She died in Salzburg in 1842 and was buried at the Sebastiansfriedhof.

In popular culture

Constanze Mozart has been depicted in numerous films, plays, and novels, often focusing on her relationship with the composer. She is a central character in Peter Shaffer's acclaimed play ''Amadeus'' and its subsequent Oscar-winning film adaptation by Miloš Forman, where she is portrayed by actress Elizabeth Berridge. Other notable portrayals include those in the German film ''The Mozart Story'' and various television dramas. Her life has also been the subject of several historical novels and biographies, exploring her role beyond that of a composer's wife and highlighting her own agency in shaping Mozart's posthumous fame.

Category:1762 births Category:1842 deaths Category:People from Zell im Wiesental Category:18th-century Austrian singers Category:19th-century Austrian women