Mozart's Sister - by Rita Charbonnier (Paperback)

About the Book

In this novel based on historical fact, Mozart's sister is a gifted musician, possibly a greater talent than her younger brother. Charbonnier takes readers on a lush tour of 18th-century Europe and into the fascinating life of a woman who ultimately finds a way to express her own genius.

Book Synopsis

The fascinating life of Wolfgang's older sister, Nannerl--whose talent may have equaled her brother's

Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart, affectionately called Nannerl by her family, could play the piano with an otherworldly skill from the time she was a child. At the tender age of five, she gave her first public performance, amazing the assembled gentlemen and ladies with the beautiful music she created.

Yet it was her brother, Wolfgang, who carried their father's dreams of glory. As the siblings matured, Nannerl's prodigious talent was brushed aside. Instead of playing alongside her brother in the world's great cities, she was forced to stop performing and become a provincial piano teacher to support Wolfgang's career. Nannerl might have accepted this life in her brother's shadow but for the appearance of a potential suitor who reawakened her passion for life, for love, for music--and who threatened to upset the delicate balance that kept the Mozart family in harmony.

Review Quotes

"A moving tribute to the spirit of a forgotten sibling. Music imbues every gripping page, and in revealing Nannerl, Charbonnier also gives us a different view of Mozart, both rounding out and exploding the myths of his brief, tragic life."
--Susanne Dunlap, author of Emilie's Voice and Liszt's Kiss

"A dysfunctional family, sex scandals, and true love?--eighteenth-century Europe was a far different world from ours, yet Rita Charbonnier's skill and verve make us feel at home, and we cheer for the brilliant, resilient Nannerl as she struggles to become much more than Mozart's sister."
--Karen Harper, author of The Last Boleyn

"If you sympathized with Salieri when you watched Amadeus, wait until you find out what happened to Nannerl, Mozart's sister. As brilliantly talented as her younger brother, she had a famous musical career that was ruthlessly turned into a mere addendum to his. Mozart's Sister brings an intriguing woman back to life."
--India Edghill, author of Wisdom's Daughter

About the Author

RITA CHARBONNIER lives in Rome. She has studied piano and opera singing. This is her first novel.