Musical mayhem with Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus

This is Wolfgang Mozart like you’ve never seen him.

The wonderful, wacky, and wigged world of classical music’s favourite child prodigy

Circa’s exciting new family show Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus will feature daredevil artists and a live accordionist, bringing Mozart’s spirit and vibrant compositions to life through physical comedy and the most mischievous of antics.

Music, mayhem, and movement come together in the show, reinventing Mozart’s magical compositions with playful costumes, a cleverly designed set, and awe-inspiring acrobatics.

Before you take a dive into Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus, why don’t we get to know the composer himself? Here are ten fun facts you might not know about Mozart.

Child prodigy doesn’t come close

When he was just 3 years old, Mozart had learned to play the clavier (an old-fashioned string instrument that had a keyboard). By 5 he was playing the harpsichord and violin as well as a professional. At the age of 6, Mozart was writing his own compositions. At 8 he wrote his first symphony and by 12 he composed his first great mass, Misa Brevis in G.When he was only 14 years old, he wrote his first opera, Mitridate Re di Pont.

Early days

Mozart was truly inspired in his early days. He wrote half the total number of symphonies he’d ever create between the ages of 8 and 19.

Hear this

While visiting the Vatican, Mozart heard Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere performed in the Sistine Chapel and was able to write the entire score from memory. Before then, the music has not been reproduced outside the Vatican walls. One of the most famous facts about Mozart is that he could listen to music just once and then write it down from memory with no mistakes.

Knowledge shared

In 1787, a 16-year-old Beethoven arrived in Vienna to get two weeks’ worth of lessons from Mozart.

A stack of work

In his short life, Mozart composed over 600 works. Included in his prolific creations are 41 symphonies, 27 piano concertos, five violin concertos, 27 concert arias, 23 string quartets, 18 masses, and 22 operas.

The Mozart effect

It is believed that listening to Mozart’s music can improve a person’s IQ – especially in children and babies. At a mozzarella farm in Italy, the farmer even played Mozart to his buffalos three times a day to help them produce better milk.

Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus will come to Arts Centre Melbourne from Wednesday January 2. Tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.com.au.