Mozart's Early Life:
Mozart's father, Leopold, was a musician. Wolfgang was a child prodigy; at the age of five he composed a minuet, and played both the harpsichord and the violin. He performed for the Viennese Royal court when he was six years old. From the age of 7 to 10, Wolfgang and his older sister toured Europe, playing for kings, emperors, and other royalty. Mozart wrote his first symphony at nine years old.

A Life of Composing:
During his short but very productive life, Mozart wrote over 600 pieces, including symphonies, sonatas, concertos, operas, dance music, and masses. Some of his most famous pieces are Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (A Little Night Music, 1787) and the operas Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro, 1786), Don Giovanni (1787) and Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute, 1791).

Mozart married Constanze Weber in 1781; they had six children but only two survived to become adults. Mozart's popularity with the public went up and down, and he had continuous financial problems.

Mozart's Death:
Mozart was only 35 years old when he died on December 5, 1791. He had been ill for some time, often with rheumatic fever. Because he was penniless when he died, Mozart was buried in a pauper's grave in Vienna, Austria.