Tuesday, June 27th and Thursday, June 29th, 2023

CANCELLED

Due to an unexpected illness of our artist, Lucy Parnham, we regret that both this week’s concerts must be cancelled.  This is much regretted, but we do not have any alternative.

Any payments made will be refunded.

Lucy Parham

Joanna David

Created to celebrate 200 years since Clara Wieck Schumann’s birth in 1819, I, Clara tells her extraordinary life story in her own words.  It is the sixth Composer Portrait created by Lucy Parham and it received its London premiere at Kings Place in October 2019.

Clara Schumann was a truly exceptional woman, not just a devoted wife to the composer Robert Schumann, but a groundbreaking musician in her own right. Over a period of 60 years she gave over 1,500 concerts and determined the format of the kind of piano recital that is familiar to us today.

As a child prodigy, she was groomed for stardom by her piano-teacher father, Friedrich Wieck. By the age of eight she was dazzling audiences throughout Europe.  Having married Robert against her father’s wishes, she became the mother of eight children. When her husband declined tragically into mental illness and an attempt at suicide, she continued both to run the household and to make an international concert career to support the family.

Clara championed the works of her husband and of Chopin, Mendelssohn, Brahms and many others. She herself was also a talented composer, producing a piano concerto, numerous solo piano works, chamber music and songs.

The narrative of I, Clara, drawn from letters and diaries, is interspersed with live performances of her works, and of music by Robert Schumann, Brahms, Liszt, Mendelssohn, and Chopin. The narrator for this performance is the acclaimed actress, Joanna David

“It’s my favourite thing for Clara Schumann’s Anniversary and my Album of the Week. It’s a seriously moving tribute.” Andrew McGregor, BBC Radio 3 Record Review

“A beautifully crafted portrait of Clara Schumann. Be prepared to shed a tear”
  ***** 5 stars    Album of the Month,  Pianist Magazine

“One of the must-see events of the musical calendar” BBC Music Magazine

All concerts will take place in the auditorium at Os Agostos. Doors will open at 6.00pm and the concert will begin at 7.00pm.

There will be wine, fruit juices and canapés available for self-service. Entry donation is €30.00 per person for guests and non-members payable in advance by bank transfer.