A Flower Wreath for Clara Schumann
Music theater by Cordula Däuper and Johannes Müller with arrangements by Tobias Schwencke
Resumption
Wonder child, piano virtuoso, composer, wife of Robert Schumann, courted by Johannes Brahms, mother of eight children, professor and working almost until her death at the age of 76 – Clara Schumann. Who was this power woman of the 19th century? And where do we stand today, in times of work-life balance? Clara manages an unprecedented career as a pianist, a complicated marriage as an artist and a large family. She works tirelessly for the spread and fame of her husband, whose changeable psychological and physical constitution is legendary. Clara Schumann’s 200th birthday is the occasion for us to meet this female icon of music history. Together with seven actresses, it is about her life and work and how much Clara is in today’s multi-tasking mothers (and fathers). How can a career and a challenging family and love life be reconciled? How did it live at a time when women’s emancipation and autonomy were answered quite differently from today, and what has really changed since then? Seven Claras and five instrumentalists* weave a theatrical wreath of flowers from compositions by Clara, Robert’s “Dichterliebe”, documents from then and now, diary entries and letters.
Arrangements / Composition / Musical direction and piano: Tobias Schwencke | Text version/Director: Cordula Däuper | Text version/Dramaturgy: Johannes Müller | Stage: Sylvia Rieger | Costume: Kristina Bell
With: Karla Sengteller, Fernanda Farah, Nadja Petri, Olivia Stahn, Cathrin Romeis, Pauline Jacob, Marina Senckel and Tobias Schwencke (musical director / grand piano / Hammond organ) | Antje Thierbach/ Özge Inci (oboe) | Yodfat Miron (viola) | Valentin Butt/ Timofey Sattarov (accordion) | Christoph Lindner (percussion)
Premiere 15 August 2019.