Robert and Clara Schumann: Very Private Lives

On Wednesday, 24 January, The Baxter Theatre presented an evening of songs and chamber music of Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann, and their contemporaries, giving a glimpse into the private lives of this extraordinary couple. The story of the Schumanns is one of the greatest love stories in classical music. He, an introverted genius and she, one of the greatest pianists of the era. It’s a love story between the self-taught outsider, seeking to gain acceptance among his better-known contemporaries – Mendelssohn, Chopin and Liszt – and his wife, who sacrificed her career to promote her husband’s music and support him financially.