Twin Spirits |
Twin Spirits is a dramatised concert for actors and musicians. It tells the story, in words and music, of the love affair and marriage of Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck. The spoken material is largely drawn from Robert and Clara’s letters and diaries with a narrator filling in the gaps in the story. The music is drawn from Robert’s piano music, chamber music and songs, from Clara’s songs and piano concerto and from two complementary works by Chopin and Mozart. Twin Spirits has been performed on six different occasions in various locations in England and the US – and always in aid of charities of one sort or another. Production photographs for the June 2010 production of Twin Spirits in New York can be seen here.
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Twin Spirits was performed at the Mark Taper Forum at the Music Center, Los Angeles on 15th February 2011. |
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Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 12 June 2005Twin Spirits was written as a fund-raising gala event in support of the Royal Opera House Educational Programme. The first performance took place on the forestage of the main house before an invited audience who sat on the stage with the empty auditorium serving as a backdrop behind the assembled players. Written and Directed by John Caird Narrator – Ian McKellen Robert Schumann in Words – Sting Clara Schumann in Words – Trudie Styler |
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New Victory Theatre, Broadway, 27th March 2006This, the third performance of Twin Spirits, was in support of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids and Classical Action: Performing Arts Against Aids. Written and Directed by John Caird Narrator – Jonathan Pryce Robert Schumann in Words – Sting Clara Schumann in Words – Trudie Styler |
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Windsor Castle, 28th June 2006The second performance of Twin Spirits was in the Waterloo Room at Windsor Castle in the presence of HRH, the Prince of Wales, in aid of the ROH Educational programme and the Soil Association. Written and Directed by John Caird Narrator – Ian McKellen Robert Schumann in Words – Sting Clara Schumann in Words – Trudie Styler |
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Salisbury Cathedral, 18 November 2006The fourth performance of Twin Spirits was in aid of the Salisbury Cathedral Choral Foundation. Written and Directed by John Caird Narrator – Charles Dance Robert Schumann in Words – Sting Clara Schumann in Words – Trudie Styler
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Royal Opera House, 19th & 20th December 2007For these, the fifth and sixth performances of Twin Spirits, one of the ROH’s main rehearsal rooms was converted into a studio and the live performances were recorded for DVD in front of an invited audience. For a full account of the stage and DVD creative teams, click here. Written and Directed by John Caird Narrator – Derek Jacobi Robert Schumann in Words – Sting Clara Schumann in Words – Trudie Styler
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Lincoln Center, New York, 30th June, 2010The seventh performance of Twin Spirits was produced by Culture Project at the Allen Room, part of the Rose Theatre, Lincoln Centre complex in Manhattan. The performance was attended by Mayor Bloomberg who spoke at the end of the show. The proceeds were in aid of the charity Music Unites. |
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For Culture ProjectArtistic Director - Allan Buchmann Written and Directed by John Caird Narrator – David Strathairn Robert Schumann in Words – Sting Clara Schumann in Words – Trudie Styler |
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