Synopsis
A stirring novel of love and music inspired by the life of pianist Maria-Theresa von Paradis, a blind virtuoso who was a contemporary of Mozart and Salieri.
Maria-Theresa von Paradis, the only daughter of the secretary of the empress of Austria, was an exceptionally gifted child. By the age of seventeen, she was a full-fledged virtuoso, playing for the royal family, acclaimed for her beauty and talent . . . and because she was blind. Her father, unable to accept her condition despite her soaring musical gifts, enlists the help of Franz Anton Mesmer, the forerunner of the modern practice of hypnotism, where Maria-Theresa discovers the passions and emotions from which her blindness had previously protected her.About Michéle Halberstadt
See more books from this AuthorBut when the charismatic Mesmer offers to take her into his care, Maria-Theresa consents, in part because she feels outmaneuvered, in part because Mesmer has a suave erotic charm, but mainly because Mesmer's treatment requires her to leave home for an extended period, and thus seems a step toward...
Jul 13 2011 | Read Full Review of The Pianist in the Dark: A NovelThis spare and elegant depiction of the life of blind Austrian piano prodigy Maria-Theresia Von Paradisâfriend of Mozart, and brief lover of Mesmerâproves a seductive introduction to the work of French novelist Halberstadt.
May 30 2011 | Read Full Review of The Pianist in the Dark: A NovelAn aggregated and normalized score based on 9 user ratings from iDreamBooks & iTunes