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, Beaumaris, Oxford, Rye, North Norfolk Festivals and Chelsea Festivals as well as at Cadogan Hall in the 2006 Schumann Festival. Actors appearing with Lucy Parham include Joanna David, Martin Jarvis, Juliet Stevenson, Eleanor Bron, Stanley Townsend, Rosalind Ayres, Gabrielle Drake, Robert Glenister, Malcolm Sinclair, Christopher Bramwell, Jane Purcell, Edward Fox, Christopher Cazenove, Timothy West, Charles Dance and Sebastian Koch.

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. Recent performances include the Cadogan Hall Celebrity Recital Series in 2008, a gala concert at the Harrogate Royal Hall and the US première for LA Theatreworks, Los Angeles in December 2008. It will also be broadcast across the USA on National Public Radio in 2010 and will return to the Wigmore Hall in December.

The CD of Beloved Clara, featuring actors Martin Jarvis and Joanna David, has been released to critical acclaim by Sanctuary/ASV. It was chosen as CD of the Week in the Sunday Times, the Guardian and the Observer.

The Cast: