IN PERSON / LIVE EVENT / PERFORMANCE

A Winter’s Journey

Date 7 - 8 December 2022
Location Barbican Centre, London

A Winter’s Journey

Winterreise is an emotional charged song cycle written by Schubert. Using the poems of the German writer Müller, Schubert created an emotional journey of a man trekking across frozen rivers and snowy landscapes, lamenting his lost love. It is indeed a winter’s journey (Winterreise), full of images and metaphors of love, loss, nationhood.

A Winter’s Journey brings together celebrated British tenor Allan Clayton with pianist Kate Golla, and award-winning director Lindy Hume. Videographer David Bergman (Sydney Theatre Company’s The Picture of Dorian Grey) animates huge digital screens with works from the late Australian painter Fred Williams.

Artistic Director of Musica Viva Australia Paul Kildea states: ‘In this new production I want to explore creatively what this masterwork means in Australia and the in the 21st Century.’

About the Performers

  • Allan Clayton is one of the most exciting and sought after singers of his generation. He studied at St John’s College, Cambridge and the Royal Academy of Music. An Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, his awards include “The Queen’s Commendation for Excellence”. He was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s 2021 Birthday honours list.
    Recent performances include the title role of Peter Grimes, Royal Opera House, London.
    Lindy Hume, AM, is one of Australia’s leading directors, acknowledged internationally for fresh interpretations of a variety of repertoire, and for progressive artistic leadership of a number of Australian organisations: Opera Queensland (2012 – 2017), Sydney Festival (2010-2012) and Perth International Arts Festival (2004-2007). She was also the Artistic Director of West Australian Opera (1992-96), Artistic Director, Victoria State Opera and OzOpera (1996-2001). Lindy is currently Artistic Director of the 10 Days on the Island Festival, Tasmania 2019-2023.

    Paul Kildea has served as Artistic Director of Musica Viva Australia since 2019. A Writer and musician, Paul holds a doctorate from Oxford University, as well as honours and masters degrees in piano performance and musicology from The University of Melbourne. Kildea has conducted operas and orchestras throughout Europe and Australia, specialising in the music of Benjamin Britten. Between 1999 and 2003 he was Head of Music at the Aldeburgh Festival. Before joining Musica Viva, Paul was formerly Artistic Director of Wigmore Hall, London, and of the Four Winds Festival in New South Wales.

    David Bergman is an award-winning composer, video and sound designer for theatre, dance, opera, installation and film. David’s recent theatre credits include the role of video designer for the ground-breaking productions of THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY for Sydney Theatre Company for which he won a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Stage Design of a Mainstage Production.

About the Partner

  • Musica Viva Australia is the largest presenter of chamber music in the world, reaching approximately 360,000 people directly every year, a truly national company with staff in every Australian state and territory. Musica Viva Australia is Australia’s oldest independent professional performing arts organisation, founded in 1945 by European refugees. Musica Viva Australia is a major creative force, delivering concerts with the highest artistic standards, education work and artist development initiatives.

    Passionate about creating community through music, we are committed to bringing unforgettable shared experiences from extraordinary local and international musicians to audiences in concert halls, classrooms and online.

  • Production Credits
    A Musica Viva Australia production

    With thanks to Lyn Williams and supported by Peter Griffin AM & Terry Swann and the Producers’ Circle

    Creative Credits
    ALLAN CLAYTON MBE Tenor
    KATE GOLLA Piano
    LINDY HUME AM Director
    DAVID BERGMAN Videographer
    MATTHEW MARSHALL Lighting Designer
    FRED WILLIAMS OBE (1927 – 1982) Images

    Image Credits
    Musica Viva Australia