“She Was Billed Above Amadeus”: Performer Sylvia Milo on Mozart’s Brilliant But Forgotten Sister

Sylvia Milo’s The Other Mozart makes its Edinburgh Festival debut with the astonishing true story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s sister, Maria Anna (Nannerl) - a child prodigy, virtuoso and composer in her own right. Once billed above her brother, Nannerl’s career was cut short by the constraints of being a woman. In this piece, Milo tells us about discovering Nannerl’s lost legacy and performing her story on stages around the world.

Tell us about Nannerl Mozart, the sister of Mozart?

We once had two Mozarts. Maria Anna (Nannerl) Mozart was a child prodigy, performing together with Amadeus at the biggest courts of Europe, touring as wunderkinder. It was the two of them, astonishing the world. There are reviews praising her performances (“it was a source of wonder to many”), she was even billed above him. That all stopped once she turned 18 - it wasn’t proper for a woman to display herself in such a manner, she couldn’t risk her reputation, therefore her marriage prospects and her financial security. She had to stay at home with her mother and learn the skills necessary to become a proper wife. She never toured again. We know she composed, from letters by Amadeus praising her compositions, but nothing survived. We lost a Mozart.

Why did you feel her story needs to be told?

Because the history we know is made of stories we choose to tell. Her story is important today because it is not a story of one villain thwarting and oppressing a female genius. It is one example of a systematic tragedy happening innumerable times throughout the ages. Not only is her story important, it is symbolic as it stands in for many other stories. 

Growing up, training to become a classical musician, I was only given pieces to play composed by male composers. In my music history class at the university no women were ever mentioned. I didn’t even question it. There were no women “Mozarts”. But then, I saw her, as I was exiting the Mozarthaus museum in Vienna. She was seated next to Wolfgang, at the piano, their hands intertwined, playing together - and she had an enormous, fabulous hairdo. “The Portrait of the Mozart Family” read the description underneath the small copy of the painting. There was a woman “Mozart”. An actual Mozart. A child prodigy, keyboard virtuoso and composer. I was astonished that nobody was telling her story.

So I did. I do. In the last 12 years, I have told her story over 360 times through my play, The Other Mozart, in front of audiences across the US, Europe and Asia. Now, finally, I’m bringing it to Edinburgh. 

What were the most surprising discoveries when conducting research for the show?

There is a letter by Amadeus praising one of Nannerl’s compositions: “Cara sorella mia! I was truly amazed, the piece you wrote is beautiful. You should compose more often.” Unfortunately we don’t know what happened to that composition. None of her compositions are known to have survived. It’s heartbreaking. 

I did discover gorgeous music by a woman composer from the times, Marianna Martines. It is so striking. Until the 1980s all of her music was thought to have been lost. Nobody thought to look. It turns out much of her work was archived in Vienna. There are now a few recordings available, and they are beautiful. Little Nannerl met Marianna while touring in Vienna. She must have dreamt of a life like hers. Unfortunately their circumstances were so different - Marianna was of nobility, she had a powerful mentor, and she was well off. 

It was incredible to discover how different were the rules of conduct for women in various European countries during the time Nannerl was touring. In Paris, women were hosting salons, discussing politics, philosophy, science and the arts. In London, conduct manuals urged women to keep silent in mixed company, “One may take a share in a conversation without uttering a syllable.”

It was also very surprising to read the philosophers of the enlightenment, who were completely unenlightened about women. Immanuel Kant wrote,“For a woman to aim at the sublime makes her merely ridiculous... and even worse, loathsome. She is an unbeautiful, unnatural freak who is disobeying nature and aping the genius of the male - who is her lord and master.”

What has it been like to perform this show around the world, and how do you feel bringing it to Edinburgh for the first time?

It has been such a gift for me to encounter Nannerl and write and perform her story. After 12 years of touring I am amazed but not surprised at the interest her story gathers and the effect the play has on the audiences - no matter the country or the continent. This is a love-effort of my entire team: director Isaac Byrne, composers Phyllis Chen and Nathan Davis, period style movement director Janice Orlandi, costume designers Magdalena Dąbrowska and Miodrag Guberinic, lighting designer Joshua Rose, hair stylist Courtney Bednarowski, stage manager Kodi Lynn Milburn and the actress Daniela Galli with whom I will share performances in Edinburgh. As well as the community of friends and supporters who contributed to our first crowdfunding, giving the play a chance to exist. 

I have seen people moved to tears, most strikingly, men who were fathers to girls. They were deeply moved because they realized their little girls will face prejudice still today.

What are you most looking forward to about the Fringe Festival?

I am looking forward to sharing this important story with international audiences and presenters, connecting with artists from around the world and seeing their work. I am also looking forward to seeing some new exciting work from my home town, NYC - Arlene Hutton’s ‘Shake Rag Hollow,’ Justin Maxwell’s, ‘Exhausted Paint: The Death of Van Gogh, ’ and Tjasa Ferme's ‘My Marlene.’ And for my son to see international theater shows for children.

If Nannerl could see this show today, what do you think she would say?

Nannerl loved theatre, music and great fashion. And she loved being on stage. I think she would be thrilled to be back on stage in 2025, in that fabulous dress, enveloped by the brilliant music, telling her side of the story. 

The Other Mozart will be performed at 1.45pm in Assembly George Square Studios from 30th July – 25th August 

For tickets and more information, visit: https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/1109-the-other-mozart