Source:www.allabreve.org

OK, that should read, "Mozartballs," but I wanted to get your attention.

It's time for a bit of culture, and since Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, was/is a world-class celebrity, he fits right in with the tone of this blog.

2006 marks the 250th birthday of Mozart, the classical composer, and he's as popular today as he was in his heyday. Now that's staying power.

I love my hard rock music, but I'm also a fan of classical music, and Mozart is one of my favorite composers. To me he was a young, rebellious guy who bucked the accepted norms of his day and created ingenious works that live on in the scores of many of today's movies.

One might even think of him as a classical "rocker" of his era since his scores tend to be lively and quick in tempo. Many of you are probably fans of his music without even realizing it.

If Mozart could be resurrected, he'd fit right in with today's electronic keyboard players, and I envision his recordings being played on your favorite R&R stations.

The music "business," 250 years ago, wasn't all that different from the recording industry of today. Now, a musician needs a label to back him or her, in Mozart's time, one needed a sponsor, a wealthy person, such as a member of the nobility, to "commission" one's works.

Source:www.allabreve.org

Someone would pay a composer to create a piece of music, and then, hopefully, it would be well received by the public, become popular, and provide bragging rights for the work's sponsor.

There was terrific competition to woo the right sponsor, and usually a composer had to create a work that was to his or her sponsor's liking, and hope it would be a hit with the public. That wasn't easy, and if a maestro was determined to write music that was different from the current norm, he was taking a huge risk. Such was the case with the genius/rebel Mozart.

There was plenty of intrigue, and dirty tactics employed in the music business then, as now. Although there were no executions of rival artists such as Tupac, a composer who fell into disfavor would lose sponsorship, and quickly become penniless.

So the music industry has always been controlled by the moneymen who held the power to produce and promote, and of course, popularity reigned supreme. It would be interesting to live another 200 years or so, just to see if people are still spinning Celine Dion, or 50 cent discs on a daily basis.

In Austria, Mozart?s birthplace, there is a unique chocolate confection available called, Mozartballs, because the wrapper bears his likeness.

It happens that an excellent documentary film about the life and times of W.A. Mozart is currently being released across Europe, and its title is, "Mozartballs."

The cast includes a pair of Americans, "Steph" Waller, a writer and composer whose compositions are performed internationally, and Lynette Irwin, an operatic mezzo-soprano and Mozart historian, of high regard.

Source:www.allabreve.org

The film is being produced by Academy Award winning, Rhombus Media, a Canadian based production company.

Release of the film in Canada is forthcoming, and it should also be shown in America, possibly on "Bravo."

Air dates and the networks that are showing it (worldwide) can be found at: AllaBreve.

For a lighter take on Mozart, you might want to view the hit movie, "Amadeus," starring Tom Hulce. Tom does a great job in the role of Mozart in this movie, which portrays both the humorous, and sullen aspects of the composer's life.

I bring this film to your attention because in the world of celebrity there are a number of lesser-known talents who are worthy of note, due to their contributions to the arts, which provide the type of diversity necessary in a complex world.

Besides, it's fun to compare the way things were done eons ago, with how they're done now. It's also good expose oneself to a variety of entertainment choices; you never know what you might like until you?ve experienced it.

And hey, you don't want to read about booze, drugs and sex all the time, do you?

For my German friends here?s a really cool website about all the fuss being made over "Mozartballs."