CLARA SCHUMANN TO RECEIVE FIRST FESTIVAL IN 2019

Clara Schumann | National Portrait Gallery |

More good news for fans of Clara Schumann: a festival in her honor – the first of its kind since the composers death – is slated to be held in London early next year.

Starting on 22 February 2019 and ending on the 24th, St. John's Smith Square in Westminster will find itself alive with the sound of music, opening with a recital by Belgian soprano Sophie Karthäuser and English tenor Alessandro Fisher of the complete set of Schumann's published lieder (29 settings in total), and will culminate with a recital of Clara's piano works followed by a concert dedicated to the joint works of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Schumann (Zwölf Gedichte aus Friedrich Rückerts Liebesfrühling.)

A lieder masterclass led by American accompanist Eugene Asti is also listed on the festival program.

The exciting news announced by festival curator Beverley Vong comes on the heels of the announcement of a year-long celebration to be held in Clara's native Leipzig in honor of the composers 200th birthday.

That project, known as "Clara19" will seek to highlight her role in female "emancipation" during her era through an examination of her life both on the concert stage and in her private home. It's main draw will be a presentation (of a concept) of Clara's newly added space at Schumann-Haus on Inselstraße, which is currently undergoing construction and is slated for a grand reveal on 13 September 2019.

For further information on the London festival and on 'Clara19' (as well as on the renovations taking place at Schumann-Haus), visit the links listed below in the footnotes.


Listen below to Clara Schumann's setting of Rückerts poem "Liebst du um Schönheit," no. 4 of the 12 settings to music by both husband and wife of Rückerts "Liebesfrühling." Of the 12 lieder, Clara is the composer of nos. 4, 2 (Er ist gekommen in Sturm und Regen), and 11 (Warum willst du and're fragen), with the remaining nine musical settings in the hand of Robert. Swedish soprano Anne Sofie von Otter and French pianist Hélène Grimaud perform:


External links:

• St. John's Smith Square schedule, "Clara Schumann Festival"
• "Clara19" Jubiläumsjahr (year long anniversary) Leipzig
• Schumann-Haus Leipzig

Internal link:

• "Schuman-Haus Leipzig to Undergo Redesign, with Clara in Mind" on Unraveling Musical Myths.

- Rose.

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