Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was a leading Austrian classical composer of the late eighteen century. He was only five years old when he wrote his first minuet. As a child Mozart toured Europe for three years with his family. He played for rich audiences as well as the general public. As a teenager he mastered the piano and completed his first opera.  
 

  As a young adult he began touring again but he was no longer a child star that captured audiences. Mozart still had talent and continued to write great compositions. He also began teaching to make ends meet. During his time, composers didn’t make much money, so he had ask friends and family for small loans.   
 

  Mozart had many unhealthy habits and also had too little money to take good care of himself and his wife and family.  He soon became very sick, but continued to write music. One day Mozart was found at his desk unconscious. He was taken to bed, but Mozart knew he was dying. He gave one of his students precise details about how his last work, Requiem, was to be completed. Mozart worked on his final piece until the very day that he died. On December 5, 1791, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died, most likely from rheumatic fever.  Mozart died a poor man and was given a paupers grave, but his music still lives on today in all parts of the world.