"Mozart at the Table": New Special Exhibition at Mozarthaus Vienna
Mozarthaus Vienna presents the special exhibition "Mozart at the Table" from May 24, 2024. This unique show offers fascinating insights into Mozart's private life and culinary experiences.
Music and dancing in an inn, diorama by Martin Engelbrecht, around 1755, privately owned. / Picture: © © Musik und Tanz in einem Gasthaus, Diorama von Martin Engelbrecht, um 1755, Privatbesitz
Mozarthaus Vienna, a Wien Holding company, is opening a new special exhibition entitled "Mozart at the Table" on May 24, 2024. This unique show provides a detailed insight into the private life of the great composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Visitors can marvel at music manuscripts, letters, historical music, documents, and objects from various international collections. It is the first time in the world that this subject has been presented in such detail.
Food as a cultural and social experience
The exhibition, curated by Prof. Dr. Ingrid Fuchs and Prof. Dr. Otto Biba, sheds light on Mozart's eating and drinking not just as mere food intake, but as a cultural and social experience. "Mozart sees eating and drinking not only as food intake but also as a cultural and social experience," explains Prof. Biba. This is evidenced by numerous letters in which Mozart describes his culinary experiences. Some of these valuable documents are also part of the exhibition.
Private and artistic life
Dr. Kurt Gollowitzer, Managing Director of Wien Holding, emphasizes: "The annually changing special exhibitions at Mozarthaus Vienna always place a new focus on Mozart and his world. This year we are experiencing 'Mozart at Table' and thus the artist from his most private side, which also had a great influence on his compositions."
In his operas in particular, Mozart repeatedly gives the theme of "eating and drinking" a prominent place. The composer was inspired by numerous invitations to dine, which he encountered both at home and while traveling. These invitations ranged from aristocratic and imperial to upper and lower-middle-class occasions.
In his home, Mozart always had staff for the kitchen, whether he was dining alone or in the company of guests. He frequented taverns and restaurants not only to eat but also for entertainment, to play, and even to compose for tavern musicians. If he did not want to interrupt his work, he had his food brought home. He also frequently used restaurants as performance venues for his works.
Exhibition in different sections
To present the wealth of information clearly, the exhibition is divided into several sections, including "Mozart Eats at Home", "Dining with Aristocrats", "Mozart in the Inn", "Restaurants as concert halls", "Food and Games", "Mozart on his travels" and "Eating and drinking in Mozart's operas". The special exhibition "Mozart at the Table" can be seen at Mozarthaus Vienna until March 16, 2025.
Mozarthaus Vienna, a Wien Holding museum, is located in the only surviving Viennese residence of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at Domgasse 5, in Vienna's first district near St. Stephen's Cathedral. Since its opening in 2006, around 2.3 million visitors from Austria and abroad have visited Mozarthaus Vienna, which takes a comprehensive look at the life and work of the composer.