Review: SAVING MOZART (CONCEPT ALBUM), Spotify

Since Hamilton debuted in 2015, the biographical musical genre has reached an all-time high. People love them, look at Six! Charlie Eglinton has now released a concept album for a new project based on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's life. Peter Shaffer gave us an imaginary account of the lives of the Salzburgian composer in his play Amadeus, but Eglinton's Saving Mozart is rooted in history and - as Shaffer did to an extent - uses Mozart's music as the foundation for each song in the show.

Eglinton puts Mozart in relation to the important women in his life, focusing on his sister Nannerl (a gifted child prodigy in her own right, who was forced to give up her dreams) and his wife Constanze.

The recording features 14 of the 24 songs in the musical, which are enough to set the scene and give a sense of what to expect from a potential staging. The numbers are impressive, with a vibrant, catchy sound. The lyrics are generally solid and effective, but they battle to meet the same standard as the melody; the writing only falters here and there, falling into briefly redundant clichés that might, however, not clash at all in a full production.

The often grandiose music summons a rich tapestry of colourful gowns and ballrooms crowded with paintings in our minds. Yet, it's impossible to ignore the vivid pop vein that runs through the whole piece and makes it fun and grounded.

Mozart's meteoric rise to stardom echoes the veiled exploitation of children and their ascent to global acclaim, mirroring many of today's celebrity narratives. The writer never shies away from the tragedy and disillusionment that dappled the composer's life and career, pinpointing the major turning points but also unveiling the man behind the arias.

All in all, this is a great accomplishment for 22-year-old Eglinton, who already boasts a number of short films and musicals to her name (one of which is currently in development Off-Broadway). Saving Mozart only needs a stage now.

You can listen to Saving Mozart here.

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