Kaunas has added another impressive role to its acting CV – this May, the city beautifully transformed into Austria. The stunning Baroque Pažaislis Monastery welcomed the creative team behind the new series “Mozart/Mozart”. Filmed in Latvia and Lithuania, the German-language series is set to premiere this December.
This time, the life of the legendary Austrian composer is being presented from a fresh perspective – expect it to be loud, colourful, and emotional. At the heart of the series is Maria Anna Mozart, who for a long time stood in the shadow of her brother, Amadeus. However, as Mozart’s star begins to fade, his sister finds herself not only rescuing his career but also fighting for her own freedom, entangled in a web of imperial intrigue from which she cannot easily escape.
The series stars Havana Joy Josephine Braun and Eren M. Güvercin in the lead roles, with Clara Zoë My-Linh von Arnim directing.
For “Mozart”, Pažaislis Monastery stepped in as the Hofburg Gardens and a Salzburg church where one of Mozart’s concerts took place. To ensure the setting looked as authentic as possible, the series’ art department arrived at Pažaislis ahead of the rest of the crew. Crafting the set, which included a rather spectacular blooming tree, took almost three days before filming could even begin.
“It’s always a real pleasure to return to Kaunas, a city so wonderfully film-friendly,” shared Milda Leiputė, the series’ producer in Lithuania. Representing UAB Nordic Productions, a company known for its work on significant international film projects and this time collaborating with Germany’s Story House Productions, she added, “A few years ago, we had some truly extraordinary moments here creating the series ‘Anna Karenina’, and also while filming the Austro-Hungarian Empress’s story in ‘Sisi’, and for a ‘Travel Channel’ show. We always receive such a warm welcome, genuine help, and friendly attention from the people of Kaunas. I truly hope we’ll be back in Kaunas soon with other projects.”
Set decorator Asta Urbonaitė, who worked on both “Mozart” and the aforementioned “Sisi,” confessed to being utterly captivated by the tranquillity, silence, and sacred atmosphere of Pažaislis: “The magnificent Baroque architecture, nestled in nature, creates such a special atmosphere. Walking through the monastery, it feels as if time itself stands still.”
It was also no secret among the film professionals that the crew members are always particularly delighted by the chance to stay at “Monte Pacis”, the hospitality complex operating located in the monastery.
The “Kaunas IN” Film Office would also like to remind everyone that Swedish television crews were recently in Kaunas filming a fantasy series, while the team behind the Lithuanian film “Barracuda” recreated the atmosphere of 1990s criminal life right here. Among the latest productions filmed in Kaunas is also a music video for the song “Tyloje” by Martynas Kavaliauskas.
