The story of the intense relationships between Robert Schumann, his wife Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms has always fascinated music lovers. This programme of music and readings brings their history to life. It chronicles the sometimes troubled marriage of Clara and Robert, the arrival in their household of the dynamic, 21-year-old Brahms, Robert’s decline into mental illness and the deepening relationship between Clara and Brahms, the exact nature of which has never been established. Music by all three is performed by the award-winning pianist Lucy Parham, interspersed with extracts from their letters and diaries, which are read by two celebrated actors.

Beloved Clara is scripted from the wealth of existing correspondence between Brahms and the Schumanns. Compiled by Jessica Duchen and Lucy Parham, its creation was inspired by Lucy Parham’s lifelong passion for Schumann’s music and it has evolved to its present state through added contributions from the actors involved.

Beloved Clara was premiered at the Wigmore Hall Masters Series in 2002. It has since been performed throughout the country in many festivals, concert halls and theatres. Highlights have included the Chichester, Harrogate and Salisbury Theatres, BAFTA, Oxford, Rye and Chelsea Festivals and at Cadogan Hall in the 2006 Schumann Festival. Actors who have appeared with Lucy Parham include Joanna David, Eleanor Bron, Stanley Townsend, Rosalind Ayres, Gabrielle Drake, Robert Glenister, Malcolm Sinclair, Edward Fox, Martin Jarvis, Christopher Cazenove, Timothy West and Charles Dance. Future performers for both Beloved Clara and Odyssey of Love include Henry Goodman, Harriet Walter and Geraldine James.
Beloved Clara has been widely featured in the Independent, the Times, the Guardian, BBC Radio 4 (Woman’s Hour), BBC World Service, Classic FM, BBC Music Magazine, BBC Radio 3 (In Tune) and Pianist Magazine.

The international premiere of Beloved Clara took place at the Bergen International Festival in June 2007. Future performances include the Cadogan Hall Celebrity Recital Series in 2008, a gala concert at the Harrogate Royal Hall and a return to the Wigmore Hall in February 2009 for the Jacqueline du Pré Memorial Concert.
The CD of Beloved Clara, featuring actors Martin Jarvis and Joanna David, has been recently released to critical acclaim by Sanctuary/ASV

The Cast: