“...the only music which might be put into the mouth of God without blasphemy.”
- George Bernard Shaw — on The Magic Flute

This spectacular modern reworking of Mozart’s breakthrough 18th century opera tells the story of a young classical singer, Tom Henderson, who is cast— against his better judgment— as the lead in a 2006 staging of The Magic Flute in Salzburg.

Mozart started his career as a composer at the age of four, when he began composing piano pieces. At the age of five he was composing minuets and by age nine he had composed his first symphony. He wrote 20 complete operas, his final and most spectacular being The Magic Flute, which he wrote in the last year of his life at age 35. Mozart was a combination of the revolutionary compositional brilliance of modern day composers such as John Lennon and Paul McCartney with the groundbreaking performance individuality of an Elvis Presley—all rolled into one. He was the ultimate iconic pop-star of the 18th century who traveled across Europe on tour, each one more outstanding than the next. Fortunately for a modern audience his genius has never faded. In celebration of his 250th birthday I wanted to capture some of his most joyous work on film, and decided that a contemporary movie version of The Magic Flute might be workable if told as the backdrop to a modern love story, conveyed on a fantastical scale.

Though Mozart is just one of many famous musicians of his time and era, there are certain elements of his personality and talent that really do set him apart.  In David Ewen’s “Opera”, he writes about the way in which Mozart differed from history’s other masters of music.

Although brand new versions of The Magic Flute are premiering in opera houses all over the world, the famous production actually premiered in Vienna 220 years ago. To mark this year’s special anniversary, here are some interesting facts about what some consider Mozart’s most popular work.

Rutger Hauer is an icon in the movie industry based on his portrayal of unforgettable characters, such as the leader of the replicant group in the sci-fi thriller Blade Runner.  In recent years, the striking Dutch actor has been seen in such films as Sin City, Batman Begins, starring Christian Bale, and Kevin Sullivan’s Mozart’s Magic Flute Diaries.

Considering all of the famous composers that came before and after Mozart’s lifetime, it is telling that his music seems to be in the forefront of people’s minds when they think of classical music.  But what exactly is it about Mozart’s music that people gravitate toward and hold as a testament of true greatness?