The Mozart family on tour plays music together. Watercolor by Carmontelle, ca. 1763.
Name the child prodigy who composed an opera called The Sweeper of Dreams at the age of six. Mozart? Try again, this musical genius is still around.
The Mozart family on tour plays music together. Watercolor by Carmontelle, ca. 1763.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91) was the son of a composer, so it was not entirely unnatural that he should become one himself. It was probably quite unexpected though that he would compose his first opera at the age of only eleven.
Although Mozart died over two hundred years ago, the good news is that he has been reincarnated, and is living in Dorking, Surrey. Alma Deutscher is seven years old, and she has already composed her first opera. Actually, she wrote it last year when she was six! Okay, The Sweeper Of Dreams is a bit on the short side, but it shows incredible maturity. She appeared on the BBC news this morning where she told reporter Jon Brain it was inspired by dream she had when she was very young. And she isn’t very young now?
Like Mozart, she comes from a musical family, but listen to her talk. She may be only seven, but she has the confidence and indeed the vocabulary of a 27 year old. This girl will go far, and will probably break a few hearts on the way.
[The above article was first published October 22, 2012; the original wasn’t archived. I think the image was added by someone else or an editor.]
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