Kyle Gann: Clara Act I finale (2021)

I spent much of 2021 working on a chamber opera (nine-instrument orchestra) called Clara about Clara Schumann, with librettist Lois Walden, whose idea it was. Having written 25 minutes' worth, we paid some graduate students to make a recording of a full scene and a couple of other isolated passages. The scene here ends Act I, and brings to a climax Clara's frustration with trying to practice and create in the same house with a composer husband whose needs always seem prioritized over hers. I took the opportunity to quote works by Clara and Robert Schumann and Brahms in the work, and this scene contains several excerpts from Clara's music. In particular, the song from the second half is somewhat based on the beginning of her amazing Piano Trio in G minor. We sent the recordings around and failed to raise interest from presenters, so we're discontinuing work on it until an opportunity presents itself. If you are interested, please feel free to email me.

Colin Roshak, conducting
Katherine Lerner-Lee, soprano
Students of Bard Conservatory

Duration:12 minutes

Kyle Gann

Return to PDF and MP3 page

Return to List of Compositions

return to the home page