Sting and Trudie Styler star in Twin Spirits

WNYC’Äôs The Greene Space, Classical 105.9 WQXR, Opus Arte and Music Unites

Welcome
Sting and Trudie Styler
for an Exclusive Presentation of the
New York Premiere Screening of
Twin Spirits

at The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space
Thursday, December 3rd 6:30 pm

The poignant and tragic love story of Robert and Clara Schumann told in words and music will be webcast live on WNYC.org, followed by audio stream of conversation with Sting and Trudie hosted by WQXR's Elliott Forrest

Proceeds from this event will benefit the Music Unites Youth Choir and the Royal Opera House Education Programs

New York, NY ’Äì On Thursday, December 3rd, WNYC’Äôs The Greene Space and Classical 105.9 WQXR together with Music Unites will host the New York premiere of Twin Spirits, a poetic meditation on the passionate relationship between composer Robert and wife Clara Schumann. Following the film, WQXR host Elliott Forrest will convene a conversation with the film’Äôs leading couple, Sting and Trudie Styler.

In addition to the live studio audience, listeners around the world will be able to watch the film online through a live video stream at www.wnyc.org/thegreenespace and www.wqxr.org beginning at 6:30pm, followed by an audio stream of the post-film discussion.

The evening is being held as a benefit for the New York-based music education charity, Music Unites, and the Royal Opera House Education programs.

Released this fall on DVD and Blu-Ray disc on Opus Arte, Twin Spirits tells the story of the passionate romance and subsequent marriage between composer Robert Schumann and pianist and composer Clara Wieck. Twin Spirits brings together nine diverse performers of the highest caliber: Sting joins his wife, actress, producer and philanthropist Trudie Styler to read from the letters between Robert and Clara. Their story, narrated by Sir Derek Jacobi, is illustrated and interwoven with music composed by Robert ’Äì whose spirit is embodied by pianist Iain Burnside, baritone Simon Keenlyside and violinist Sergej Krylov ’Äì and by Clara, who is evoked by pianist Natasha Paremski, soprano Rebecca Evans, and cellist Natalie Clein. This ’Äúbeautifully constructed’Äù production (BBC Music Magazine), a subtle and moving fusion of recital and drama, was devised by the stage director and writer John Caird.

Love began to blossom between Robert Schumann (1810-56) and Clara Wieck (1819-90) when she was a teenager and he was the student of her father, Friedrich Wieck, who made every effort to impede the relationship. She was one of the 19th century’Äôs greatest pianists and herself a composer of note. After a legal battle with her father the couple finally married in 1840. In the 1850s their happiness became compromised by Robert’Äôs increasing mental instability, which resulted in a suicide attempt in 1854; he died in an asylum in 1856. Clara, who lived for another 40 years, devoted her considerable energies to propagating her husband’Äôs music, which is at its greatest in his intimate works for piano, voice and chamber ensemble.

Twin Spirits was recorded before a small audience in a studio space at London’Äôs Royal Opera House shortly before Christmas 2007. All the artists involved donated their talent and time so that everyone buying a copy will be supporting the important work of the Royal Opera House Education Program which provides opportunities for some 90,000 people annually to engage with opera, music and dance.

The New York-based charity Music Unites shares the goals of the Royal Opera House Education Program and was therefore an ideal American partner organization for this event. Music Unites aims to heighten the appreciation of music across all genres, raise awareness for established musicians and emerging talent, support music education programs and bring music into the lives of people in under-served communities. Music Unites hopes to inspire and encourage musicians to contribute to the vitality and wealth of musical expression, which enriches the cultural life of any community.

Proceeds from the Twin Spirits screening will benefit the Music Unites Youth Choir, bringing together public high school students from across the five boroughs in an effort to create a diverse performance ensemble. Participants will study and perform compositions in all musical styles including classical, musical theater, R&B and gospel and have the opportunity to perform at Music Unites events and collaborate and be mentored by established Music Unites artists including Lang Lang, Blue October, Tamarama, Chester French, Peter Bjorn & John, John Forte, Howie Day, Mark Ronson and Daniel Merriweather. Music Unites will also be creating opportunities for students to interact with music industry professionals, giving them access to well-known cultural venues for practice and performances through a special partnership with the Young Audiences of New York.

The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space is WNYC’Äôs new multi-platform broadcast studio and performance venue. A new destination for artists and audiences, The Greene Space presents live performances, signature WNYC radio shows and video webcasts, and special programming from WQXR ’Äî with concerts, audio theatre, political and cultural discussions, film, visual arts, public radio events and more.

For more information about the Twin Spirits project, Robert and Clara Schumann and the Royal Opera House Education Program visit www.twin-spirits.com. Visit www.musicunites.org, to learn more about the mission of Music Unites.

Twin Spirits Screening with Special Guests Sting and Trudie Styler
Hosted by WNYC, WQXR, Music Unites and Opus Arte
Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 6:30 pm
The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space
44 Charlton Street, New York
LIVE webcast of Twin Spirits on WNYC.org/thegreenespace and WQXR.org
Audio stream of Interview with Sting and Trudie Styler hosted by Elliott Forrest to follow screening at 8:30 pm

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WNYC Radio is New York's premier public radio franchise, comprising WNYC FM, WNYC AM, and WQXR, as well as www.wnyc.org and www.wqxr.org. As America's most listened-to AM/FM public radio stations, reaching more than one million listeners every week, WNYC extends New York City's cultural riches to the entire country on-air and online, and presents the best national offerings from networks National Public Radio, Public Radio International, American Public Media, and the British Broadcasting Company. WNYC 93.9 FM broadcasts a wide range of daily news, talk, cultural and classical music programming, while WNYC AM 820 maintains a stronger focus on breaking news and international news reporting. Classical 105.9 WQXR is New York City’Äôs sole classical music station, which presents new and landmark classical recordings as well as live concerts from the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, among other New York City venues, immersing listeners in the city’Äôs rich musical life. In addition to its audio content, WNYC produces content for live, radio and web audiences from The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, the station’Äôs street-level multipurpose, multiplatform broadcast studio and performance space. For more information about WNYC, visit www.wnyc.org.

Sting and Trudie Styler star in Twin Spirits

The poignant and tragic love story of Robert and Clara Schumann told in words and music to be released on Opus Arte September 29th

DVD sales to support the vital work of the Royal Opera House Education Program

On September 29th, Opus Arte presents Twin Spirits, the story of the passionate romance and subsequent marriage between composer Robert Schumann and piano prodigy Clara Wieck, available on DVD and Blu-Ray disc. This production from the Royal Opera House brings together nine diverse performers of the highest caliber: Sting, an artist who defies simple classification, joins his wife, actress and producer Trudie Styler to read from the letters between Robert and Clara. Their story, narrated by Sir Derek Jacobi, is illustrated and interwoven with music composed by Robert ’Äì whose spirit is embodied by pianist Iain Burnside, baritone Simon Keenlyside and violinist Sergej Krylov ’Äì and by Clara, who is evoked by pianist Natasha Paremski, soprano Rebecca Evans, and cellist Natalie Clein.

This subtle and moving piece, a fusion of recital and drama, was devised by the stage director and writer John Caird. His credits include Hamlet and Candide at the National Theatre, Les Misˆ©rables and Nicholas Nickleby with Trevor Nunn, and Don Carlos for Welsh National Opera.

’ÄúA performance like this is a personal journey,’Äù Sting explains. ’ÄúYou’Äôre forced to share very private thoughts and make them public, and that creates a tension. This love story ’Äì the relationship and the tragedy ’Äì provides a great introduction for people who don’Äôt normally listen to classical music. Hearing the Schumanns’Äô music at the same time as telling their story is a very intimate, engaging and emotional experience.’Äù

’ÄúWhen we started on this adventure with Twin Spirits,’Äù adds Trudie Styler, ’ÄúI was profoundly moved by the richness and power of the narrative. The passion of Robert and Clara’Äôs love transcends the ages. It is a wonderful and moving story which I believe remains fascinating and relevant to today's world.’Äù

Love began to blossom between Robert Schumann (1810-56) and Clara Wieck (1819-90) when she was a teenager and he was the student of her father, Friedrich Wieck, who made every effort to impede the relationship. She was one of the 19th century’Äôs greatest pianists and herself a composer of note. After a legal battle with her father the couple finally married in 1840. In the 1850s their happiness became compromised by Robert’Äôs increasing mental instability, which resulted in a suicide attempt in 1854; he died in an asylum in 1856. Clara, who lived for another 40 years, devoted her considerable energies to propagating her husband’Äôs music, which is at its greatest in his intimate works for piano, voice and chamber ensemble.

’ÄúTwin Spirits tells a great human drama, irrespective of the fact that it’Äôs about two great musicians,’Äù says director John Caird. ’ÄúIt makes us think about love, marriage, relationships, pain, illness and how they influence art and life. Robert and Clara's chamber music was almost like a diary and listening to it you feel you are looking into the pages of something deeply personal.’Äù

Twin Spirits was recorded before a small audience in a studio space at London’Äôs Royal Opera House shortly before Christmas 2007. All the artists involved donated their talent and time so that everyone buying a copy will be supporting the important work of the Royal Opera House Education Program which provides opportunities for some 90,000 people annually to engage with opera, music and dance. These projects reach people of all ages and backgrounds, including the isolated and elderly, the socially deprived, disabled adults and children, young offenders and for these people they have a very significant and positive impact. The Royal Opera House’Äôs work helps them to become enthusiastic and motivated, learn self-respect, discover the potential within themselves and develop a team spirit. For every performance on the world-famous stage, at least twice as many educational activities are taking place and this work is a vital part of the Royal Opera House’Äôs mission.

The original performance of Twin Sprits took place in June 2005, also at the Royal Opera House. Other charity performances took place at Salisbury Cathedral (to benefit the Salisbury Cathedral Girl Choristers), the New Victory Theatre in New York (to benefit Broadway Cares ’Äì Equity Fights Aids) and, at the Prince of Wales’Äô invitation, Windsor Castle (to benefit the Royal Opera House Foundation, and Soil Association). Among other performers who have participated alongside Sting and Trudie are actors Sir Ian McKellen, Charles Dance, and Jonathan Pryce and violinists Vasko Vassilev and Joshua Bell.

Twin Spirits will be released by Opus Arte on DVD (OA 0994 D) and Blu-Ray (OA BD7043 D) in the US on September 29th, 2009. Preview the DVD and access further information about the Twin Spirits project, Robert and Clara Schumann and the Royal Opera House Education Program at www.twin-spirits.com