Artists: Daniel Hope, Klaus Maria Brandauer

Marking the 2006 Mozart celebrations, Daniel Hope and world-renowned actor Klaus Maria Brandauer visited two of Mozart's closest friends and explored their relationship to the great composer in words and music.

“Friends with a genius: Abbé Bullinger and Mozart"

Josef Nepomuk “Abbé“ Bullinger (1744 - 1810), council to the Duke Leopold Ferdinand, and closely connected to the Mozart Family, describes Mozart's departure from Salzburg. This includes riveting accounts of Mozart's first travels without his father, Leopold, in 1777; the amorous and highly amusing meetings with his female cousin "Bäsle"; the first major conflict between father and son, and finally the death of Mozart's mother, prompting Mozart's most poignant letter, addressed to Bullinger. Bullinger comments, "When he finally returned home he had changed forever - a disappointed genius, whose fate had thrown him many obstacles....."

“Friends with a genius: Jacquin and Mozart“

Mozart's later period in his young life, recounted by Gottfried von Jacquin (1767-1792), a close friend and pupil of Mozart.  Jacquin describes his first meeting with Mozart , who was a regular guest in Jacquin's parents' house, and follows him until the tragic death of the composer. How close the relationship between Jacquin and Mozart was, is demonstrated in extraordinary letters, ranging from a startling frankness to almost splapstick comedy. In one letter, which Mozart  wrote from Prague in 1787, he devises tongue-twisting nicknames for all of his friends, branding Jacquin as "Hinkiti Honky". Jacquin's warm personality shines through in his hand-written dedication in Mozart's own diary – "Real genius, without a heart, is useless. It is not only intellect, or imagination that make a genius. It is love! LOVE! That is the real soul of a genius! And that is how, in the end, Art and Nature are united in perfect unity".

Both concerts can be performed separately or in combination; for example an afternoon and evening performance.

As with all the Brandauer / Hope projects, Daniel Hope taook charge of the musical direction and content. To achieve a certain flexibility, the musical side of the project was offered as either a duo (violin/piano) or with an international chamber ensemble of renowned young musicians.  Musical excerpts included some of Mozart's most beautiful works, including   his Clarinet Quintet, Piano Trios (such as the “Kegelstatt“), String Quartets and Violin Sonatas.

"Mozart Unplugged!" was supported by a major radio production, which Klaus Maria Brandauer had already produced. From the 1st January 2006, Brandauer read a Mozart letter everyday of the year, for 365 days. This was broadcasted by all the  ARD radio stations in all German speaking countries.