Celebrating the Love Story of Mozart and Constanze
Updated: Aug 13
On August 4th, 1782, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart married Constanze Weber in a small but deeply emotional ceremony at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. This union was marked by love, devotion, and occasional drama. Before their wedding, Mozart’s courtship was anything but ordinary.
The Beginnings of Their Romance
1. He Fell for Her Sister First
Mozart originally pursued Aloysia Weber, Constanze’s older sister, who was a talented soprano. When she rejected him, he left Mannheim heartbroken. A few years later, he reconnected with the Webers in Vienna and fell in love with Constanze instead.
2. A Playful Relationship
In a playful letter to Constanze, Mozart described how he had tied her up with a towel during a flirtatious game. He found this memory both funny and endearing. He expressed a desire to tie her up again. Their letters are filled with quirky humor and private jokes, including a notable amount of scatological humor, which they both seemed to enjoy.
3. Eloping Against Parental Wishes
Mozart and Constanze got married on August 4, 1782, in St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, without full parental blessing. Constanze’s mother initially objected to the match, fearing Mozart’s unstable income and bohemian lifestyle. So, the couple married quietly while Constanze’s mother was out of town.
4. Constanze's Organizational Skills
Mozart occasionally lamented Constanze’s fondness for shopping and her lack of domestic discipline. However, he deeply loved her and often praised her kindness and cheerfulness. After his death, Constanze became surprisingly capable. She managed his musical estate masterfully, promoted his legacy, and secured a pension from the emperor.
5. A Joyful Love
Despite financial strains and Mozart’s flirtations, there’s strong evidence they had a joyful and affectionate relationship. Their letters are full of pet names, private jokes, and genuine concern for each other. Mozart called her “Stanzi” or “little mouse” and often wrote with longing while on tour.
6. Inspiration Behind the "Laundry Aria"
Some scholars believe Constanze inspired the comical “Wasche, wasche” aria (K. 520), in which a woman complains about housework and scrubbing laundry. Mozart composed it in 1787, and it’s sometimes seen as a cheeky portrait of married life.
7. A Musical Partnership
Constanze was musically gifted and sang in Mozart’s private concerts. He reportedly wrote vocal parts with her voice in mind, including the demanding soprano role in his Mass in C Minor, which she premiered in Salzburg in 1783—while pregnant!
The Enduring Legacy of Their Love
Despite these ups and downs—and the initial disapproval from Mozart’s own father—the couple’s bond endured. Their loving partnership supported both musical genius and family life.
Mozart’s opera, Così fan tutte, echoes this complicated dance of love and fidelity. The opera’s witty plot centers on two sisters, Fiordiligi and Dorabella, whose faithfulness is tested through disguises and a mischievous wager set by Don Alfonso. Like Mozart and Constanze’s real-life story, the opera blends humor, passion, and human vulnerability. It reminds us that love’s path is rarely straightforward but always worthy of exploration.
Constanze herself was more than just Mozart’s wife. She was an accomplished singer, a devoted mother to six children, and a savvy businesswoman. She tirelessly preserved Mozart’s legacy after his untimely death in 1791. Her strength and dedication helped ensure that Mozart’s music continues to inspire audiences centuries later.
We celebrate the partnership between Wolfgang and Constanze with the Overture to Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, recorded at our April concert in 2024.
Happy Anniversary, Wolfy & Costanza!
NCO Performs: The Overture to Mozart's Cosi fan tutte We offer the celebrated overture to Mozart's opera that we performed at our final concert of the 2024 Season in April. For your listening pleasure! |
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