Poland’s Poznań marks anniversary of Mozart’s death

The western Polish city of Poznań is on Monday paying tribute to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who died at his home in Vienna exactly 231 years ago.

The western Polish city of Poznań is on Monday paying tribute to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who died exactly 231 years ago.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

To mark the occasion, a Mass will be offered for the repose of the Austrian composer’s soul in the city’s Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Florian. 

The service is due to start at midnight, with Mozart’s Requiem performed as part of the liturgy, in line with a long-established tradition.

The Mass will be celebrated in the traditional Latin rite, the form of the Mass that was celebrated at the time Mozart composed the piece.

 The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Florian in Poznań.

Requiem will be performed by the Collegium F Orchestra, conducted by Marcin Sompoliński, and the Choir of the Grand Opera in Poznań, with soprano Małgorzata Olejniczak, countertenor Tomasz Raczkiewicz, tenor Bartosz Gorzkowski and bass Karol Skwara.

The Catholic Church in Poznań and the city’s music community came up with the idea of observing the anniversary of Mozart’s death twenty one years ago. 

Midnight services graced with the composer’s Requiem have been attracting audiences of some 2,000 people each year. 

(mk/pm)