Meetings with Mozart: William Charlton-Perkins’ Debut Novel (2025)

A Story of Music, Memory, and the Midlands

In a literary year already bursting with political memoirs and AI thrillers, few South African novels have landed with the quiet charm of Meetings with Mozart. Written by Durban opera columnist William Charlton-Perkins, the debut novella is a love letter to classical music, rural life, and rediscovered purpose.

From Columns to Chapters

Charlton-Perkins is no stranger to writing. For four decades, he penned Classical Notes in The Mercury, South Africa’s only regular classical music column. But in 2025, after a lifetime in journalism and musical obsession, he made his fiction debut, and at over 70 years old.

Meetings with Mozart follows Horace, a retired opera director living in South Africa’s lush Eastern interior. He gathers with local Mozart lovers and reflects on the composer’s life, guided by one powerful quote: “Love, Love, Love. That is the soul of genius.”

The novel is part biography, part fiction, and part personal memoir, and all heart.

Natal Roots, Viennese Spirit

Set among the soaring peaks and misty midlands of eastern South Africa, the book draws as much from Mozart’s letters and musical genius as it does from the smells, storms, and birdsong of the local landscape. There’s no orchestra here, no big city fanfare, just music, memory, and quiet personal revival.

Originally written as an opera libretto, the manuscript was shelved when a composer friend pulled out. It later evolved into a novel thanks to a Facebook encounter. Charlton-Perkins spotted a post by Joanne Smith, an old friend now working as a book editor in Australia. Within days, the manuscript was reborn, and the book was finished ten months later.

Reviews from Across the World

Critics have praised Meetings with Mozart as a refreshing take on classical music storytelling.

“If Mozart ever had a farm in Africa, it would have been in the Natal Midlands. Enchanting,” wrote Greg Landman of Magic Grape Tours.

“A warm and informal exploration of Mozart’s life, situated in a playful modern setting,” said Kate Wakeling of BBC Music Magazine.

“Totally original in concept. Beautifully woven together. Bravo,” added Philip Bovet from Switzerland.

The novel was published in the UK in January 2025 and hit South African bookshelves soon after.

A Late Debut, But a Lasting Impression

For a first-time novelist in his seventies, William Charlton-Perkins brings more than technical skill. He brings perspective. There’s wisdom in the pacing, intimacy in the prose, and a belief that art, like life, only deepens with age.

In a noisy world, Meetings with Mozart offers something rare: a reason to pause, to listen, and to love music again.

Also read: Nandi and The Rev: Mlombi Family Returns to Mzansi Magic Screens

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Source: IOL

Featured Image: Amazon UK