Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart's portrait on The Muppet Show.

Wolle as Mozart on Sesamstrasse.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was a prolific Austrian composer of classical music. The son of music teacher Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang Mozart was a child prodigy, composing his first piece at the age of five. He soon began several European tours, and befriended composers like Johann Christian Bach (son of Johann Sebastian). His works ranged from operas such as The Marriage of Figaro to symphonies to choral works.

On The Ghost of Faffner Hall, three composer busts are on display at Faffner Hall, offering advice to Fughetta Faffner. One of them is a representation of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Works

• "La Ci Darem La Mano" — The Muppet Show

• "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" — various

• Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K550, 1st Movement — Elmo and the Orchestra

• Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K466 — Insert with Fay Ray

• Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, 2nd Movement — Elmo and the Orchestra

• "Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K331, 3rd Movement" — Carina the Ballerina, Zoe, and Elmo dance to the Rondo Alla Turca movement in Sesame Street Episode 4091. It's also used in the hamster portion of Elmo's World: Pets.

• "Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major, K545, 1st Movement" — Telly Monster and Baby Bear dance to Allegro in Sesame Street Episode 4040

• "Lacrimosa" — used in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie when Daniel opens the door to approach The Boss

References

• In The Muppet Show episode 214, Sam the Eagle is appalled by Elton John's outlandish costumes, and insists that Mozart never wore such things. Kermit the Frog counters that Mozart wore high-heels and silk stockings; a wager is made, and Sam is only convinced when Scooter enters carrying a portrait of the composer.

• In The Muppet Show episode 316, singing civil servant Clive Cahuenga sings the Municipal Vermin Abatement Code to the music of Mozart.

• The third season Muppet Babies episode "Fozzie's Family Tree" included the song "Amadogus," about Baby Rowlf's classical ancestor.

• In "Skeeter and the Wolf", Baby Rowlf is writing a symphony. Nanny says that Mozart wrote his first symphony when he was about nine.

• The pop song "Rock Me Amadeus," referencing Mozart, was performed in the stage show Jim Henson's Muppet Babies Live!, with a chorus of Mozart figures.

• Baby Gonzo plays Mozart in the 1991 Muppet Babies coloring book A Trip Through Time.

• In Sesamstrasse episode 2324, Wolle imagines what it would be like to be Mozart, and compose "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" for his friends to perform.

• On Sesame Street, the sketch "The Mostly Monster Festival Choral Society presents "The Alphabet, Theme and Variations," by Mozart" is shown. (First: Episode 3525)

• In Episode 1051 of Sesame Street, Judy Collins and Mr. Snuffleupagus sing their ABC's in a tune inspired by Mozart's "Papageno-Papagena."

• The Sesame Street song "Il Alphabetto" is performed in the style of Mozart opera.