Mozart was an international celebrity and spent almost his entire life on tour. He stormed through some 70 cities and royal courts, and his antics make some rock stars look angelic. He invented the "out-of-control-child-superstar-with-controlling-stage-parents" persona centuries before Lindsay Lohan graced tabloids.
He was unique in his era by going solo without a steady church or court gig. He was also somewhat of a social trickster, and did not hold emperors and royals with the reverent respect expected of that period. It's really no surprise that many of his operas deal with silly nobles who get their comeuppance from the brilliant but poor.
He was born on the 27th of January, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria to Anna Maria Pertl and Leopold Mozart. You may be surprised to know that W.A. Mozart's full name is actually Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. Music marketers the world over are relieved that he shortened it to Wolfgang Amadeus.
Mozart began playing the piano at age 4, by age 5 was writing his first compositions, and by age 6 his dad decided to take Mozart and sister Nannerl on tour. Mozart was a youthful prodigy in the truest sense of the words. In just 30 of his 35 years, he wrote more than 630 pieces, including 27 piano concerti, 42 symphonies, and 22 operas.