Phenom Ruhman Composes Opera “Nannerl”

(Editor’s note:  Mia Ruhman sang Oh Holy Night, one Christmas Eve at the Palisades Methodist Church, I described her voice as listening to an angel sing. I was thrilled to hear about her latest endeavor, an opera she composed.)

Mia Ruhman in Salzburg, the home and birthplace of Nannerl Mozart and Wolfgang Mozart, where she traveled to finish her research.

While at UCLA, Mia Ruhman wrote the lyrics and composed the score for a two-and-a-half-hour pop opera, Nannerl, for a 20-member cast. The opera’s premiere will be June 5 and 6 at 7 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica, 1008 11^th Street. She has also been selected to be the undergraduate commencement speaker at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music graduation ceremony.

The show is about the remarkable life of musician Nannerl Mozart, Wolfgang Mozart’s older sister. A prodigy herself and five years Wolfgang’s elder, Nannerl’s musical prowess was comparable to that of her famous brother, yet she has largely been forgotten by history.

“At first I was pulled towards Nannerl’s story because what I learned about her life from surface level research broke my heart,” Ruhman said, and noted that the popular narrative called Nannerl a victim. “However, as I dove deeper into Nannerl’s life through her diary, letters, cross examining articles and biographies, as well as the footnotes of letters the Mozart’s would send to one another, I learned quickly how truly strong and successful Nannerl was within the restrictive and sexist ideas of the time.

“She was able to earn her own income as a music teacher and had a solo career headlining for royalty in Salzburg,” Ruhman wrote, and added that when the young woman turned 18, she was forbidden from touring.

“I believe that Nannerl’s story can remind people that achieving fame, which so few people do, is not what is important,” said Ruhman, who used historical records to keep the opera as accurate as possible.  “Nannerl exemplifies what it means to push through struggle and constraints, not a victim to her circumstance, but the ultimate master of her own fate. Her story reveals that every human has the power to change a life and do amazing things – no matter how small or grand the scale.”

With director Matthew Deegan, casting was completed in December 2024. Rehearsals were set to begin on January 18. She has planned for the Nannerl premiere to be in the Palisades church on Via de la Paz.

“All of those plans changed on January 7, when my home and the Palisades Methodist Church burned,” said Ruhman, who is a soprano in UCLA Chamber singers. “It also destroyed the home and church of one of the major leads of the show, Ross Chitwood, the music director of the Palisades United Methodist Church, who plays Leopold, in the opera.

After the fire, Ruhman said the opera was the last thing on her mind. But, “once I got back to school however, I realized that I still had a story to tell – one of community, sacrifice, and the resilient nature of the human spirit.” Rehearsals started February 1.

Ruhman sees parallels between what residents face and Nannerl’s life, pushing through struggle and constraints, not a victim to circumstance, but the ultimate master of her one’s own fate.

For tickets and bios of the performers click here.

This talented young woman has grown up in the Palisades, participating in Theatre Palisades Youth, a member of the Palisades Methodist church, graduating from Palisades High School, and a long-time participant in the 4^th of July parade and last year the National Anthem singer for the Will Rogers 5/10K Run. She is also a 2019-21 fellow in the LA Phil’s composer fellowship program, the LA Phil YOLA Sue Tsao composer fellow in 2020, the winner of a global music award (2024), and serves on the speaking panel of the 77th National League of American Orchestra conference.