Under the reign and patronage of Elector Karl Theodor during 1742–78, Mannheim became the leading centre of musical life in Europe. Not only were the performances of its court orchestra considered first rate, but also its school of composers, virtuoso players, and innovative style. This school had a profound influence on later composers like Mozart and Haydn, and Mozart notably sought employment there, albeit unsuccessfully. The orchestra played primarily in Mannheim, and also at the elector’s summer residence in Schwetzingen, producing symphonies, operas, ballets, chamber music, and every other genre to the highest quality. This served as the inspiration behind Das Neue Mannheimer Orchester (DNMO), an international ensemble which was established in late 2016 in The Hague by Canadian harpsichordist and fortepianist Anders Muskens with the aim of recapturing the spirit of music from the period of the original Mannheim Court Orchestra – including late Baroque, galant, Classical, and early Romantic – and especially from composers of the Mannheim School. As an early music ensemble, DNMO plays on period instruments using historically informed techniques. It is made up of young professional early music specialists, and is a highly international group featuring talents from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Japan, Korea, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Australia, Canada, and the United States.