Mozart in Italy: Coming of Age in the Land of Opera

by Jane Glover

'You don’t have to be able to hum Mozart to find this book utterly engrossing . . . I couldn’t put it down' - Joanna Lumley

At thirteen years old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a child prodigy who had captured the hearts of northern Europe, but his father Leopold was now determined to conquer Italy. Together, they made three visits there the last when Mozart was seventeen, all vividly recounted here by acclaimed conductor Jane Glover.

Father and son travelled from the theatres and concert salons of Milan to the church-filled streets of Rome to Naples, poorer and more dangerous than the prosperous north, and to Venice, the carnivalesque birthplace of public opera. All the while Mozart was absorbing Italian culture, language, style and art, and honed his craft. He met the challenge of writing Italian opera for Italian singers and audiences and provoked a variety of responses, from triumph and admiration to intrigue and in a way, these Italian years can be seen as a microcosm of his whole life.

Evocative, beautifully written and with a profound understanding of eighteenth-century classical music, Mozart in Italy reveals how what he experienced during these Italian journeys changed Mozart – and his music – for ever.

Genres: Music, Biography, History, Nonfiction, Italy

359 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 5, 2023

About the author

Jane Glover has been Music Director of the Glyndebourne Touring Opera, Artistic Director of The London Mozart Players, and has conducted all the major symphony and chamber orchestras in Britain.

Reviews

[Linda Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve loved Mozart’s music since my childhood and have read a lot of books about his life and works. However I learned such a lot from this extremely well-written book, I didn’t realise before what a profound influence Italy and its music had on him. I really liked the descriptions of the musicians and singers in his operas, and am even more in awe of his genius and the immeasurable pleasure his music still gives us.

[Toby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the blessings my late mother gave me, a profound love of classical music - and, particularly, of its greatest exponent, the subject of this book - is quite possibly the one I'm most deeply appreciative for. The music of Mozart has enriched my life since childhood. I enjoyed this book immensely, it was a joy from start to finish.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting insight in to Mozart’s travels around Italy with his father who was looking to boost his son’s reputation and, ideally, find new positions for them both.
The book takes us further, briefly reviewing Mozart’s later life and the influence his Italian experience had on his music.
Initially the book suffers from often presenting a list of names to us of people they met along the way, and less about the places. This eventually changes when there is music to write about, and I found myself adding things to a playlist as I went. I’ve now heard some of his early operas for the first time and they are wonderful things.
This is something the book is missing: there’s the usual bibliography at the end but no list of works mentioned so if you didn’t make a note as you read, you have to go back through it. Ideally the book would have been accompanied with playlists on Apple Music, Spotify etc but no. I created my own in Apple Music - it’s not complete but it’s a start. It’s named after the book.

[Steven Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thoughtful and informative look at Mozart’s travels through Italy with his father, this book focuses more on the behind the scenes realities of their journey than on the romantic or cultural highlights. It’s not exactly a page turner, but it does a solid job of showing how different life was in the 18th century, especially when it came to music, ambition, and power. Mozart’s genius stands out all the more against the backdrop of the rigid social structures of his time. It's fascinating to reflect on how recent this era really is, despite feeling so distant, and how deeply its legacy continues to shape the arts today.

[Donna Kremer · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were many unfamiliar composers, operatic singers, musicians, and friends referenced which caused my mind to wander regularly during this audio. I didn’t have interest in hearing every detail of Mozart’s life, but I did enjoy hearing about the lifestyle of his time, especially his travels on awful roads which took days by carriage. When he traveled to the major cities in Italy in the late 1700s, his awe of the arts, culture, and history was no different than it is today.

[Timothy Urban · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read. It made me want to listen to - especially - the early flashes of musical genius the author identifies. I looked up the book on Audible, thinking they might have edited into the reading some of this music. But no. Would be a good idea though.

[Lisa Shacklock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book written and read by Jane Glover. I really enjoyed it - so informative (I feel I could listen to this again and still discover more!) I am now looking forward to reading (listening) to her previous book "Mozart's Women".

[barbara carney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written

This is an interesting picture of the life of an extraordinary musician. The depiction of the hardships and excesses experienced by a talented musician in pursuit of training, employment and opportunity was eyes opening.

[Archie Hamerton]

Read for Work

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Qué buen relato, muy bien documentado y estructurado. Una mirada al Mozart humano, adolescente, descubriendo el mundo de la opera italiana. Me encantó. Recomiendo.

[Alana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very detailed account of Mozart’s talent and development of operas and way of life during that time.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice quick read on a young Mozart’s journeys through Italy. Slightly repetitive and not groundbreaking, but a good survey and handy reference for this important period of Mozart’s life.