At the start of January Radio 3 is to devote its entire schedule to the music and life of Mozart. Over the 12-day period every note written by the prolific composer will be broadcast.
'The Genius of Mozart' season will feature Dame Kiri te Kanawa choosing her favourite Mozart arias, a special Composer of the Week series dedicated to Mozart, live performances by the BBC orchestras, concerts from Kings Place's Mozart series –including Sir Colin Davis conducting the Aurora Orchestra – as well as guest appearances from artists including Sir Neville Marriner.
Drama on 3 will feature Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus, with Simon Callow as Mozart and Felicity Kendal as Constanze. Online listeners will be able to hear the whole season in HD sound.
Radio 3 has programmed similar seasons in the past for composers including Bach, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, while 2009 was shaped by year-long celebrations of the anniversaries of Purcell, Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn.
‘We’re thrilled to announce our all-encompassing Mozart season, building on Radio 3’s unchallenged track record in using its whole schedule to celebrate the music of a composer,' says Roger Wright, Controller of Radio 3. 'Mozart was a prolific genius, so we hope that new audiences will join Radio 3 on air and online for what promises to be a really entertaining and informative 12 days.’
In the run up to the season, Radio 3 listeners are being asked to vote for their favourite Mozart piece with the result to be announced on Christmas Eve.
Elizabeth Davis
In the January issue of BBC Music Magazine we'll be celebrating the life and works of Mozart. Packed with features about the world's greatest composer, your special issue will also include a free CD of Mozart's Mass in C minor and Symphony No. 40