★★★★
We all know his name. We all know his music, even if only from films and TV adverts. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one of the most celebrated composers to ever have lived, and yet his older sister, Maria Anna Mozart, or Nannerl, remains in the shadows of history, despite having been a child prodigy and highly regarded musician in her own right. Sylvia Milo’s The Other Mozart explores this injustice in a beautifully crafted and well-researched piece of theatre.
Written and performed by Milo (in rotation with Daniela Galli) and directed by Isaac Byrne, The Other Mozartcomprises a present-tense monologue in which Nannerl herself tells the story of how she excels at playing theharpsichord and composing music, so much so that her father takes herself and the younger Wolfgang on tour to play for the nobles of Europe, who are impressed with them both. She tells of her friendship with her brother, of how they even compose a symphony together (which plays beneath her speaking). But soon Nannerl becomes of marriageable age, and people are talking. Suddenly it is no longer proper for her to do anything other than learn to take care of the home and prepare to have children. She is a woman, after all. And so, whilst their father focuses all his efforts on assisting Wolfgang’s musical career, Nannerl is left behind.
Both Milo’s performance and writing are brilliant, the characterisation sharp and honest. Through intelligent nuance, Milo is careful to avoid portraying Nannerl as a jealous, bitter wreck. Rather, we see a playful, whimsical young woman, genuinely happy for her brother’s success, missing him terribly, all the while suffering a deep and devastating frustration that her genius is being stifled by others because of her gender. Milo navigates this so successfully that I left the theatre feeling thoroughly ashamed of the travesty that Nannerl’s compositions have not survived for us to hear, that those who had the power to preserve her work never bothered to do so, just because she was a woman. As Nannerl herself tells us, according to her gravestone, she is nothing more than Mozart’s sister.
The piece is simply yet elegantly staged, Byrne’s direction minimalist and effective. The set is littered with letters, which Nannerl frenetically scatters and reads from, occasionally acting out certain events, such as the hilarious and awkward lunch with Wolfgang and his new wife. Moving seamlessly between moments of amusement, sadness, and despair, the script delivers many powerful moments, such as Nannerl’s voice being literally drowned out by her brother’s music. Towards the end, the narrative shifts to past tense, reflecting the reality that history cannot be changed. Then comes the finale, where the set becomes a magnificent dress, donned by Nannerl, who defiantly reminds us of her name, before turning her back on the audience.
In this uncertain world, where many countries are still enforcing outdated gender roles, and where certain online voices continue to peddle their misogynistic bullshit, theatre like this is more important than ever. The Other Mozartrepresents a triumphant effort by Sylvia Milo and her whole creative team to tell the story of a remarkable woman and musical genius who deserves to be remembered, along with countless other women in history, and we should take this as a reminder that greatness can be found anywhere, in anyone, from any walk of life.
The Other Mozart is on at Studio Two at Assembly George Square Studios until August 25th
