As part of the Anniversary Year CLARA19 for Clara Schumann’s 200^thbirthday

In 2019, the players in Leipzig’s cultural scene, as well as international guests, will shape the great anniversary year “CLARA19”. The patron for this year is Leipzig’s cultural mayor, Dr. Skadi Jennicke.

CLARA19 will reach its peak with the Schumann-Festival Weeks (September 12th-29th, 2019) around her birthday (Sept. 13^th, 1819) and wedding anniversary (Sept. 12^th, 1840). The pianist Lauma Skride will begin and end the Festival Weeks. On September 12^th/13^th, 2019, she will perform Clara Schumann’s piano concerto op. 7 in the “Großes Concert” with the Gewandhaus Orchestra under the direction of Gewandhauskapellmeister Andris Nelsons. On September 29^th, 2019, she will perform together with soprano Olena Tokar in the Schumann-Haus. The program includes the song cycle “Liebesfrühling” (Spring of Love) which Clara and Robert composed together during their Leipzig years. Great things await on September 14^th, 2019: The Schumann-Haus Leipzig will present its new museum concept, which was developed in cooperation with the curator and Clara Schumann scholar, Dr. Beatrix Borchard. This will be celebrated with a big street festival on the Inselstraße.

A special highlight will be the chamber music festival “10 for Clara” (September 18^th-22^nd, 2019), featuring Antje Weithaas, Dong Suk Kang,Marie-Elisabeth Hecker, and Peter Bruns (violoncello), Martin Helmchen, and many other artists.  The performances will take place in places that were awarded the European Cultural Heritage Label in 2018. Further concerts in the Schumann-Haus will be given by pianist Ragna Schirmer and cellist Peter Bruns (Sept. 19^th, 2019), the Vogler Quartet (Sept. 25^th, 2019), the great-great-great-granddaughters of Clara Schumann, Anke-Christiane Beyerand Heike-Angela Moser (Sept. 26^th, 2019), amarcord (Sept. 27^th, 2019), Susanne Grützmann (Sept. 28^th, 2019), and many others. In addition, audiences can look forward to a premiere of the Leipzig Tanztheater (dance theater) (Sept. 13^th, 2019) as well as events in Werk 2 and the music school J.S. Bach.