TAKE FIVE: Viva amadeus

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2006 | 11:29 a.m.

The 250th anniversary of Mozart's birthday - Jan. 27, 1756 - has generated a year's worth of festivals worldwide, mostly in the composer's famous birthplace and stamping grounds - Salzburg and Vienna. Although smaller - minuscule even - in scale (and not so grandiose), Las Vegas does have its ties to the 18th century composer.

1. Brain music The Mozart Society of America is based at UNLV. Seriously. Established in 1996 in Baltimore, the international academic organization provides a forum for Mozart scholars, and disseminates information on new recordings and research findings on the 18th-century composer. Isabelle Emerson, associate professor of music history at UNLV, is president of the organization and a noted Mozart scholar.

2. Lounge lizard A Washington nonprofit performance group recently presented the Mozart opera, "The Marriage of Figaro: Las Vegas Version." The production sets "Mozart's tale of lust and longing" in fabulous 1960s Las Vegas where the count is a nightclub headliner.

3. Even odds Whether Mozart's debt - he died penniless - was caused by chronic gambling is still debated by scholars and Mozart fans. Were he alive today, might we find him bellied up to a blackjack table on the Strip?

4. Clubbin' The Mozart Club in the ghost town of Goldfield, 180 miles north of Las Vegas, was named after the musical genius. Apparently the wife of Maurice Durand, who built the club in the 1930s, was a Mozart fan. Don't expect any celebrations of the Enlightenment, however. You won't find a concerto burger or a symphony salad on the menu of the Mozart Club, a full-service restaurant serving lunch and dinner, but manager Barbara McChesney says that an occasional Mozart fan walks through the door to inquire about the name.

5. Celebrations Upcoming birthday celebrations in Las Vegas: At 8 p.m Saturday, the Las Vegas Philharmonic will present "Happy Birthday, Mozart" at UNLV's Artemus Ham Hall. The evening will feature performances from "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik," "Concerto for Flute and Harp," the "Impressario Overture" and "Symphony 39." Tickets range from $25 to $66. Call 895-2787. UNLV Opera Theatre will present Mozart's "The Magic Flute" March 10 through March 12 at Judy Bayley Theatre. Tickets are $20; $10 for seniors. Call 895-2787.