Events

Fleur Barron mezzo-soprano
Julius Drake piano
Hibiki Ichikawa shamisen
Suleiman Suleiman actor/dancer

A meditation on sound and silence, solitude and communion, love and loss, explored through the intertwined narratives of Yasuna, one of the great Kabuki plays dating back to 1818, and Schubert’s iconic Winterreise, conceived a decade later in 1827. In the world premiere of Spring Snow, grief splinters the psyches of both Schubert’s Wanderer and Yasuna, compelling a journey into the depths of Self. This is where our performance begins: two individual paths converging and inspiring each other in beautiful ways, as a famous song cycle is interwoven with original shamisen music and traditional Japanese dance-theatre.

Julius Drake will conduct a series of masterclasses from July 22 to 24 with students from the 2024 Franz-Schubert-Institut.

The Franz-Schubert-Institut is an organisation dedicated to the study and performance of the German Lied. Located in Baden bei Wien, Austria, the institute offers intensive summer courses and masterclasses focusing on the works of Franz Schubert and other composers of the Lied tradition. These programs are designed for singers and pianists, providing them with opportunities to work with distinguished musicians and educators, enhancing their interpretative and performance skills in this specific repertoire. The institute emphasises a deep understanding of the poetry and music, aiming to cultivate a nuanced and expressive performance style among its participants.

Julius Drake will conduct a series of masterclasses from July 22 to 24 with students from the 2024 Franz-Schubert-Institut.

The Franz-Schubert-Institut is an organisation dedicated to the study and performance of the German Lied. Located in Baden bei Wien, Austria, the institute offers intensive summer courses and masterclasses focusing on the works of Franz Schubert and other composers of the Lied tradition. These programs are designed for singers and pianists, providing them with opportunities to work with distinguished musicians and educators, enhancing their interpretative and performance skills in this specific repertoire. The institute emphasises a deep understanding of the poetry and music, aiming to cultivate a nuanced and expressive performance style among its participants.

Julius Drake will conduct a series of masterclasses from July 22 to 24 with students from the 2024 Franz-Schubert-Institut.

The Franz-Schubert-Institut is an organisation dedicated to the study and performance of the German Lied. Located in Baden bei Wien, Austria, the institute offers intensive summer courses and masterclasses focusing on the works of Franz Schubert and other composers of the Lied tradition. These programs are designed for singers and pianists, providing them with opportunities to work with distinguished musicians and educators, enhancing their interpretative and performance skills in this specific repertoire. The institute emphasises a deep understanding of the poetry and music, aiming to cultivate a nuanced and expressive performance style among its participants.

Elisabeth Leonskaja, Piano
Julius Drake, Piano

For Franz Schubert, Vienna was not only his hometown but also a significant source of inspiration. Yet, he often sought respite in nature, where he could freely and undisturbedly nurture his musicality. Both in Vienna and the countryside, he performed intimate house concerts for culturally inclined admirers, known as Schubertiades, often improvising the program on the spot.

Renowned pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja, who performs on major stages worldwide and calls Vienna her home, similarly retreats to Semmering for the summer. This time, she presents her personal Schubertiade, performing solo and in duet with Julius Drake, a highly esteemed Lied pianist. Together, they will showcase two- and four-handed pieces by Schubert.

This premiere in their collaboration follows the tradition of house concerts, where four-handed playing was common in Schubert’s time. Julius Drake highlights the vocal elements in Schubert’s works, known as the “Prince of Song.” The key pieces of the evening, the early Sonata in A minor and the Grand Duo, reflect a grand orchestral thinking that bridges the intimate salon with the concert hall, a recognition Schubert rarely received during his lifetime. The remaining program will be a surprise, adhering to the house concert tradition among friends.