Mozart's Sister

During the Mozart family’s grand tour, a problematic carriage axle leads Leopold Mozart, his wife Anna, their 14-year-old daughter Nannerl, and the lively 11-year-old Wolfgang to take refuge in the nearby Fontevraud Abbey. Here, Nannerl forms a meaningful friendship with the 13-year-old Princess Louise of France, who resides in the Abbey alongside two of her sisters. This connection paves the way for a significant encounter at Versailles with Louise’s brother, Louis, Dauphin of France.

Nannerl, a prodigious harpsichordist and vocalist who contributes to her family’s income through a brother-sister performance act, harbors dreams of composing and mastering the violin. However, her ambitions are stifled by her father’s insistence that she must not pursue these interests. Intriguingly, the young, recently widowed Dauphin becomes captivated by her talent and passion for music, sparking a romance that eventually fizzles out when he becomes engaged to Maria Josepha of Saxony, the new Dauphine of France.

As Princess Louise enters a convent, she advises Nannerl to distance herself from the Dauphin, who is battling to resist the temptations brought on by his father, King Louis XV. The story culminates in a bizarre final meeting between Nannerl, the Dauphin, and his new wife. In a poignant moment of reflection, Nannerl and Princess Louise ponder how drastically their lives would have changed had they been born male.

Last Updated: November 15, 2024 at 20:16