What did Mozart look like?

Mozart’s physical appearance was described by tenor Michael Kelly in his Reminiscences: “a remarkably small man, very thin and pale, with a profusion of fine, fair hair of which he was rather vain”.

His early biographer Niemetschek wrote, “there was nothing special about [his] physique. … He was small and his countenance, except for his large, intense eyes, showed no sign of his genius”.

Mozart’s early career was spent in Salzburg, where he worked as a court musician for the Archbishop of Salzburg. However, he was unhappy with his position and longed for greater artistic freedom.

In Milan, Mozart wrote the opera Mitridate, re di Ponto (1770). From 1782 to 1785 Mozart mounted concerts with himself as a soloist, presenting three or four new piano concertos in each season.

In 1781, Mozart moved to Vienna, where he achieved great success as a composer and performer. Mozart’s music is known for its beauty, complexity, and emotional depth.