Arts Around Calgary: Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Presents Mozart and Salieri

Mozart’s contemporary Joseph Haydn once said this about him: “posterity will not see such a talent again in 100 years.” The extent to which this prediction was right is controversial, because along came Beethoven followed by Chopin in a couple of decades. However, the fact that Mozart was an artistic genius who pushed the boundaries of classical music cannot be doubted. This season at the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, an entire festival has been dedicated to Mozart’s dynamic and prolific compositions in celebration of his 255th birthday. From his famous operas to his lively chamber music the orchestra will bring back to life the notes which Mozart penned more than 200 years ago. Fellow blogger Lisa and I had the chance to attend one of the first performances of the season: Mozart and Salieri, a Requiem for Mozart.

Mozart’s timeless compositions are followed by the legendary mystery of his death. It is said that Mozart was murdered by his rival Antonio Salieri out of sheer jealousy for his unimaginable talent. Indeed, living as Mozart’s rival must have been an extremely stressful and forever bitter experience for poor Salieri, who always stood in the shadow of the effortless musical giant. Salieri was a serious man who devoted his entire life to his career, while Mozart (despite being one of the most prolific composers of all time) squandered his reputation and money in masquerade balls and fashionable wigs. It is said that Salieri disguised himself as a masked man who commissioned Mozart to write a requiem for Count Franz von Walsegg. This requiem was really meant for Mozart himself, whom Salieri had plotted to poison and kill. The requiem is the last composition Mozart made in his life, and he died before it was completed.

Reality is much less romantic than the legends.  Mozart probably died from a lung infection. However, this eerie legend of jealousy, rivalry, and murder has accompanied Mozart’s powerful Requiem for hundreds of years ever since.

The evening’s performance was dedicated to this incomplete masterpiece. Opening with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1897)’s opera depicting the interaction between Salieri and Mozart before the murder. The opera was simple and engaging, and Rimsky-Korsakov introduced themes from both Mozart and Salieri’s music. The rest of the performance followed this interesting structure, weaving both Mozart and Salieri’s well-known compositions together to produce a show which truly depicted the intense rivalry that existed between the two musical contemporaries.

The highlight of the evening was Mozart’s Requiem. In complete darkness, the CPO chorus filed onto their stands dressed in 18^th century clothes of mourning and carrying flickering candles that lit up the gloomy Jack Singer Hall. The audience awaited in silence. It was an atmosphere of protracted mourning. Finally, as the last chorist took their spots, the hall was lit up by the majestic introduction into the piece. The choir’s haunting yet powerful voice conveyed Mozart’s dying feelings of desire for redemption and sorrow. I’ve always really loved the Requiem ever since I watched the movie Amadeus. It was my first time experiencing this piece performed live.

Thanks so much to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra for providing us with the opportunity to see yet another great concert!