Constanze Weber

Constanze Weber. She was a central figure in the life of the renowned composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whom she married in 1782. Following his early death, she played a crucial role in preserving and promoting his musical legacy, collaborating on an influential early biography with her second husband, the Danish diplomat Georg Nikolaus von Nissen. Her later life and actions significantly shaped the posthumous reputation of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the management of his estate.

Early life and family

Constanze Weber was born in Zell im Wiesental, a town in the historical region of Further Austria. She was the third daughter of the musical Weber family, her father being the bass singer and music copyist Fridolin Weber. Her mother was Cäcilia Weber, who managed the household and later a boarding house in Vienna. Constanze grew up in a highly musical environment alongside her sisters, including Josepha Weber, who premiered the role of the Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte, Aloysia Weber, a noted soprano and Mozart's first love interest, and Sophie Weber. The family moved to Munich and later to Vienna, where they became part of the city's vibrant cultural scene. Her early education included training in singing and keyboard, preparing her for a life deeply intertwined with the Classical period music of her time.

Marriage to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Constanze Weber first met Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1777 in Mannheim, but their romantic relationship began in earnest in 1781 after he took up residence in her mother's Vienna boarding house. Their courtship faced opposition, notably from Mozart's father, Leopold Mozart, in Salzburg, who disapproved of the match. Despite this, the couple married on 4 August 1782 at St. Stephen's Cathedral; their witness was Mozart's employer, Prince-Archbishop Hieronymus von Colloredo. The marriage, though sometimes described as tumultuous due to financial strains, was by all accounts affectionate. Constanze managed the household, coped with Mozart's frequent travels for performances like those of Die Entführung aus dem Serail, and endured multiple difficult pregnancies. She was a dedicated partner, even accompanying him on a professional journey to Prague for the premiere of Don Giovanni and later La clemenza di Tito.

Life after Mozart's death

After the sudden death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in December 1791, Constanze was left in a precarious financial situation with two young sons, Karl Thomas Mozart and the infant Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart. She acted decisively to secure her family's future, successfully petitioning Emperor Leopold II for a pension and organizing lucrative memorial concerts, including one conducted by Antonio Salieri. To raise funds, she began the systematic sale of Mozart's autograph manuscripts and oversaw the publication of many works. In 1797, she engaged the Danish diplomat and writer Georg Nikolaus von Nissen as a lodger; he later became her biographer and second husband in 1809. They lived for many years in Copenhagen before returning to Salzburg, where Nissen worked on his comprehensive biography of Mozart, heavily reliant on Constanze's memories and documents until his death in 1826.

Legacy and portrayal

Constanze Weber's legacy is fundamentally tied to her stewardship of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's oeuvre. She was instrumental in the completion and publication of her second husband's biography, which served as a primary source for later scholars like Otto Jahn. She facilitated important early collections of Mozart's work and corresponded with figures such as the publisher Johann Anton André. In the 19th and 20th centuries, her portrayal in popular culture, such as in Peter Shaffer's play *Amadeus* and its film adaptation by Miloš Forman, has often been controversial, sometimes depicting her as frivolous. Modern scholarship, including work by biographers like Maynard Solomon, offers a more nuanced view, recognizing her practical resilience, business acumen, and essential role in transitioning Mozart from a working composer to an immortal figure in the canon of Western music. Her descendants preserved many artifacts now held in institutions like the Mozarteum University Salzburg.

Category:1762 births Category:1842 deaths Category:People from the Habsburg monarchy Category:Mozart family