Contributed by the Arrow Lakes Arts Council
On Sunday, Feb. 6, the Arrow Lakes Arts Council is presenting The Schumann Letters at the Bonnington Arts Centre.
The concert is an afternoon matinee and starts at 3 p.m. This is the fourth concert in this season’s Concert Series.
German composer Robert Schumann first fell in love with a young Clara Wieck during his early piano training under her father.
Clara herself, was a virtuoso pianist garnering attention throughout Europe. Nonetheless, her father was bitterly opposed to the courtship.
During this time, an estimated 2,000 letters were written between these two.
In 1840, after a long and acrimonious legal battle with Clara’s father, Robert went to court to seek legal consent. His love eventually won out and the couple were soon married.
The Schumann Letters features some of the most beautiful piano and vocal music of Robert Schumann.
Exquisitely narrated, these musical highlights are intertwined with a timeless story of love, life, tragedy and triumphs. A fresh approach to classical music, this production animates Schumann’s great works.
The result is a mesmerizing performance of awe-inspiring music and story telling that will entice the piano, voice and theatre enthusiasts as well as newcomers alike.
Join Canadian veteran actor Colin Fox, pianist Michael Kim and introducing soprano Susan Gilmour Bailey on this journey with words and music through a life of love, obstacles, happiness and tragedy between Robert and Clara.
Come and join us for a fascinating afternoon of music and narration on Sunday, February 6 at the Bonnington Arts Centre.
Tickets are available at the Broadway Deli until 2 p.m. Saturday, then at the door.
Doors open at 2:30 p.m.
Ticket prices for this concert are: Adults: $20, Seniors: $15 and Students: $10.
An excerpt from one of Robert Schumann’s letters:
Clara,
How happy your last letters have made me -- those since Christmas Eve! I should like to call you by all the endearing epithets, and yet I can find no lovelier word than the simple word ‘dear,’ but there is a particular way of saying it. My dear one, then, I have wept for joy to think that you are mine, and often wonder if I deserve you.
One would think that no one man’s heart and brain could stand all the things that are crowded into one day. Where do these thousands of thoughts, wishes, sorrows, joys and hopes come from? Day in, day out, the procession goes on. But how light-hearted I was yesterday and the day before! There shone out of your letters so noble a spirit, such faith, such a wealth of love!
What would I not do for love of you, my own Clara! The knights of old were better off; they could go through fire or slay dragons to win their ladies, but we of today have to content ourselves with more prosaic methods, such as smoking fewer cigars, and the like.