Project Details

Mozarthaus Vienna

Media installations

Client
Mozarthaus Vienna Errichtungs- und Betriebs GmbH
Country
Austria
Year
2006
Services
Exhibition
Equipment
Product design
Content production

Vienna, Domgasse 5: since 27 January 2006 (Mozart's 250th birthday), this fully refurbished house containing Mozart's former apartment, the only one of his Viennese residences still in existence today, has paid homage to the life and work of the musical genius. The exibition is on three floors and covers an area of approximately 1,000m². The audio-visual installations in the Mozarthaus are inspired by media techniques and "worlds of wonder" of Mozart's time. At that time, decades before the invention of photography and film, optical experiments and illusions, automatons and mechanical tricks were becoming fashionable and madepeople gasp in astonishment. A video and sound installation in the roofed courtyard shows a Montgolfier balloon on multiple monitors rising up with the lift. The journey continues on the top floor, with a flight over historic Vienna and the most important places associated with Mozart's "golden years" in the imperial capital. A mini "perspective theatre" and a large panorama projection across the "Graben Nymphs" present the gallant, dashing side of the 18th century as an erotic game of discovery. An installation on the theme of "Figaro" combines the principle of old puzzle dice games with modern aesthetics and video technology. The grand finale is the multimedia homage to Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute"; a stage set made of scenery, projections and lighting effects showing a short version of "The Magic Flute" as virtual "mirror opera" from 1791 to the present day. Film footage of legendary productions is projected into the partly real, partly virtual stage landscape. Papageno moves as a projection through space and time and presents the main arias from the opera.
checkpointmedia won the Austrian State Prize for Multimedia 2006 for the media installations in the Mozarthaus Vienna. The function room in the basement has been equipped with the latest audio and video technology, making it available as a modern venue for a wide range of events e.g. classical concerts.

Mozarthaus Wien Overture

http://www.mozarthausvienna.at
CREDITS

Photos: David Peters, Studio Kudlich

Concept design: Atelier Pichelmann

Animations: Oleg Prodeus, Martin Reinhart

Sketches: Gustav Pichelmann

Illustrations: Martin Osen

Awards
Multimedia State Prize 2006
September 19, 2006

checkpointmedia has been awarded the State Prize for Multimedia 2006 in the category “Culture and Entertainment” for the Mozarthaus Vienna. The jury's verdict: multimedia at the Mozarthaus Vienna stands out through its clear concept, the variety of installations and the high degree of knowledge transfer. checkpointmedia has created "A whole new dimension of multimedia presentation of information and entertainment for museum visitors in Austria and Europe". At the Mozarthaus Vienna numerous multimedia installations present the world and environment of Mozart, inspired by the media technology of Mozart's time: optical experiments and illusions, automatons and mechanical tricks caused the people of the 18th century to gasp in astonishment. The new media of our age take up this theme, enabling visitors to the exhibition to gain an insight into Mozart's life and times using all five senses. The highlight is the virtual tribute to Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute", set in an oversized theatre model with mirrored performers.

http://www.multimedia-staatspreis.at/