Twin Spirits

The Words and Music of Robert & Clara Schumann

12th June 2005

Royal Opera House, London

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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.

Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 12 June 2005

Twin 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.

Twin Spirits

The Words and Music of Robert & Clara Schumann
Devised and Directed byJohn Caird

Cast

NarratorIan McKellen
Robert Schumann in WordsSting
Robert Schumann in SongSimon Keenlyside
ViolinVasko Vassilev
PianoIain Burnside
Clara Schumann in WordsTrudie Styler
Clara Schumann in SongRebecca Evans
CelloNina Kotova
PianoPamela Nicholson

Production Team

Produced byJune Chichester
Translations byJohn Chichester / Dr Ray Ockenden
Technical DepartmentGeoff Wheel
Costume, Wigs and Performance SupportCorrine Jones-Lord
General Manager of St. John's Smith SquarePaul Davies
Head of EventsCaroline Dalziel
SupportGail Ronson
Donation of wine for the dinnerFarr Vintners
Donation of Champagne for the receptionPerrier Jouët

Windsor Castle, 28th June 2006

The 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.

Twin Spirits

The Words and Music of Robert & Clara Schumann
Devised and Directed byJohn Caird

Cast

NarratorIan McKellen
Robert Schumann in WordsSting
Robert Schumann in SongSimon Keenlyside
ViolinValeriy Sokolov
PianoIain Burnside
Clara Schumann in WordsTrudie Styler
Clara Schumann in SongRebecca Evans
CelloNatalie Clein
PianoNatasha Paremski

Production Team

Produced byJune Chichester
Translations byJohn Chichester
Technical DepartmentGeoff Wheel
Costume, Wigs and Performance SupportCorrine Jones-Lord
Thanks toChristopher Warren-Green
General Manager of St. John's Smith SquarePaul Davies
Support and adviceThomas Lynch
Thanks to Premier Mode / Fisher Lighting
Royal Opera House StaffGeoff Wheel / Claudia Stolze / Emma Syrus / Tony Rickard / Caroline Dalziel / Victoria Green
Donation of wineBonterra Vineyards
Donation of beefDaylesford Organic

New Victory Theatre, Broadway, 27th March 2006

This, the third performance of Twin Spirits, was in support of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids and Classical Action: Performing Arts Against Aids.

Twin Spirits

The Words and Music of Robert & Clara Schumann
Devised byJohn Caird

Creative Team

Directed byJohn Caird
Translations byJohn Chichester
Music SupervisionCharles Hamlen
Set DesignerRay Klausen
Lighting DesignerHowell Binkley
Musical Arrangements byMartin Ward
Production Stage ManagerNathan Hurlin
Assistant Set DesignerRandy Parsons
Assistant Lighting DesignerStephen Terry

Cast

NarratorJonathan Pryce
Robert Schumann in WordsSting
Robert Schumann in SongThomas Meglioranza
ViolinJoshua Bell
PianoJeremy Denk
Clara Schumann in WordsTrudie Styler
Clara Schumann in SongLisa Saffer
CelloAlisa Weilerstein
PianoNatasha Paremski

Production Team

Produced byJune Chichester & Ariadne Villarreal
Production SupervisorNathan Hurlin
Audio EngineerDavid Gotwald
Press RepresentativesAlison Ames (21C Media Group, Inc.)
Marketing ConsultantBobby McGuire
Event PhotographersKen Blauvelt (Studio 66) / Jay Brady
Event Archive VideographerBradshaw Smith (Applause Video)
Security Provided byKevin Flanagan (Excel Security)
WebsiteRoy Palijaro
TicketingSkip Lawing
Volunteer CoordinatorScott T. Stevens
Invitation, Poster and Programme Design byCarol A. Ingram
Print Manager / Hospitality CoordinatorYvonne Ghareeb
Event FlowersJoseph Macchia (Joseph John Designs)
Pianos donated bySteinway & Sons

Salisbury Cathedral, 18 November 2006

The fourth performance of Twin Spirits was in aid of the Salisbury Cathedral Choral Foundation.

Twin Spirits

The Words and Music of Robert & Clara Schumann
Devised and Directed byJohn Caird

Cast

NarratorCharles Dance
Robert Schumann in WordsSting
Robert Schumann in SongSimon Keenlyside
ViolinValeriy Sokolov
PianoGarry Matthewman
Clara Schumann in WordsTrudie Styler
Clara Schumann in SongRebecca Evans
CelloNatalie Clein
PianoNatasha Paremski

Production Team

Produced byJune Chichester
Translations byJohn Chichester
Tralation of the poem by Franz GrillparzerDr Ray Ockenden
Hair and MakeupClaudia Stolze
Royal Opera House StaffGeoff Wheel / Claudia Stolze / Emma Syrus / Tony Rickard / Caroline Dalziel / Victoria Green
Steinway Piano provided byTrustees of the Edward Heath Charitable Foundation
Donation of gift packs to the artists Tom Mettyear and Mark Sparrow of Neals Yard Remedies
Sound System provided byChris Marsh and Lars Brogard of Major Tom
Thanks to The Chapter and Staff of Salisbury Cathedral / Milburns / Stagecraft Limited / Debbie Ring / Geraldine Fairfax-Cholmeley / Jayne Rowe / Salisbury Printing Company Limited / Elliott Tunnard

Royal Opera House, 19th & 20th December 2007

For 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.

Twin Spirits

The Words and Music of Robert & Clara Schumann
Devised byJohn Caird

Creative Team

Directed byJohn Caird
Translations byJohn Chichester
Lighting DesignerPeter Mumford
Assistant DirectorGema Barnetson

Cast

NarratorDerek Jacobi
Robert Schumann in WordsSting
Robert Schumann in SongSimon Keenlyside
ViolinSergey Krilov
PianoIain Burnside
Clara Schumann in WordsTrudie Styler
Clara Schumann in SongRebecca Evans
CelloNatalie Clein
PianoNatasha Paremski

Production Team

ProducersJune Chichester / Ferenc van Damme
Line ProducerLucy Billingham
Production AssistantBen Caird
PhotographerCatherine Ashmore
Technical DirectorGeoff Wheel
Broadcast / Sound ManagerPeter Byram
Sound ProducerJames Whitbourn
Sound EngineerAndy Rose
Camera SupervisorPhilip Chavannes
Camera OperatorPhil Taylor / Mark Senn / Den Pollitt / Graham Minassian
GripAlan Tanner / Colin Brown

Lincoln Center, New York, 30th June, 2010

The 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.

Twin Spirits

The Words and Music of Robert & Clara Schumann
Devised byJohn Caird

Creative / Production Staff

Directed byJohn Caird
Translations byJohn Chichester
Executive ProducerJune Chichester
Artistic DirectorAllan Buchmann
Director of ProductionsJayashri Wyatt

Cast

NarratorDavid Strathairn
Robert Schumann in WordsSting
Robert Schumann in SongNathan Gunn
ViolinJoshua Bell
PianoJeremy Denk
Clara Schumann in WordsTrudie Styler
Clara Schumann in SongCamille Zamora
CelloNina Kotova
PianoNatasha Paremski

The Music Center, Los Angeles, 15th February, 2011

Twin Spirits

The Words and Music of Robert & Clara Schumann
Devised byJohn Caird

Cast

NarratorJohn Lithgow
Robert Schumann in WordsSting
Robert Schumann in SongScott Hendricks
ViolinJoshua Bell
PianoJonathan Kelly
Clara Schumann in WordsTrudie Styler
Clara Schumann in SongCamille Zamora
CelloSara Sant'Ambrogio
PianoNatasha Paremski

Production Staff

ProducerJune Chichester
Master CarpenterHoward Dolan
Master of PropertiesRobert Ruby
Master ElectricianWilliam Morner
Master AudioBones Malone
WardrobeLee Smilek
Booking ManagerSharon F. Steward
Production ManagerMark F. O'Donnell
House ManagerLinda Walker