Twin Spirits

Twin Spirits, a poly-discipline performance art concert, portrays the lives of and love between Robert Schumann and his pianist wife, Clara Wieck. An ensemble of theater actors, singers, and instrumentalists tells the story with 39 spoken and musical selections narrated by Derek Jacobi.

Here are the musical selections:

1. Robert Schumann (RS) "Préambule" from Carnaval

2. RS "Bittendes Kind" from Kinderszenen

3. RS "Hasche-Mann" from Kinderszenen

4. RS "Von fremden Ländern und Menschen" from Kinderszenen

5. Chopin "Adagio" from Variations on 'Là ci darem'

6. RS "Stille Tränen" from Zwölf Gedichte

7. Clara Schumann (CS) "Er ist gekommen in Sturm und Regen"

8. RS Duet: "Er und Sie"

9. CS Piano Concerto in A minor---Romanze

10. RS "Romanze No. 2" from Drei Romanzen

11. RS "Marche des Davidsbündler contre les Phiistins" from Carnaval

12. Mozart Duet: "Là ci darem" from Don Giovanni

13. RS "Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne" from Dichterliebe

14. RS "Wenn ich in deine Augen seh'" from Dicherliebe

15. RS "Ich grolle nicht" from Dicherliebe

16. CS "Sie liebten sich beide"

17. RS "Ich habe im Traum geweinet" from Dicherliebe

18. RS "Stille Liebe" from Zwölf Gedichte

19. RS "Traümerei" from Kinderszenen

20. RS "Frage" from Zwölf Gedichte

21. RS "Trio No. 1 in D minor---Finale: Mit Feuer"

John Caird conceived Twin Spirits, and he directed this performance at the Royal Opera House. The words and music of Robert Schumann are portrayed by Mr. Sting (actor), Simon Keenlyside (baritone), Sergej Krylov (violin), and Iain Burnside (piano). The words and music of Clara Wieck are portrayed by Trudie Styler (actress), Rebecca Evans (soprano), Natalie Clein (cello), and Natasha Paremski (piano). Special arrangements of various musical selections are by Martin Ward. Released 2009, disc has 5.0 PCM sound. Grade A+

With Twin Spirits we encounter, via Spaceship HDVD, the first star found in a newly discovered island universe, the galaxy of "poly-discipline performance art." This show is similar to old-fashion "performance art" in that it's an event built from unusual and expected elements arranged to make a point. Also, it seems to me that Twin Spirits, like a typical performance art event, is not likely to be produced by others even if licence were freely given. But Twin Spirits differs from mere performance art in that this production requires artists in multiple art forms who must perform under strict control at the highest level of professional skill. And the purpose of poly-discipline performance art is not to shock or instigate, but to enlighten and edify.

There is a lot of talent in this production, but the real stars are John Caird, the "devisor" or brains who dreamed this up and Martin Ward, who arranged the music that ties together the spoken parts of the event.

Because this is such an unusual show with chamber-music-scale forces, it could only be played live to a small audience in an intimate setting. But because the performers in this event include celebrities from different art forms that normally don't work together, the costs had to be relatively high. To make this work, the producer had to get the performers (or sponsors) to donate or hope for an after-market for recordings to amortize the costs. But a DVD would not have the quality necessary to satisfy an after-market for a something as sophisticated and esoteric as this.

So blast off Spaceship HDVD. To understand how beautiful Twin Spirits  is, you must see it an a home theater in Blu-ray presentation. The few people who were lucky enough to see this at the Royal Opera House doubtless had a grand view of things. But the HDVD camera bests that---your home theater seat is on the stage floor right in the middle of the action.  Almost every frame in this video is in full-body, waist-up, or full-face close-up. Because of the dramatic lighting, great camera work, and skillful editing, every shot is arrestingly composed in rich color and detail. The women in this show look startlingly beautiful as they register all the emotions evoked by this tragic but inspiring tale. The men tend to be more stoic, but you can see every twitch of each stiff upper lip.

The sound is just as good as the video. Each musical selection is complete, and you are spared  the remorse you feel in a typical documentary when  musical performances are suddenly cut short. But this is not just a music concert or recital. The musical selections alternate with the spoken segments. I was able to understand every word clearly when sung or spoken.

All the artists turn in stirring work with the possible exception of Mr. Sting, a bit of an odd man in this group. I'm too old to know Mr. Sting personally, but he is a pop-singer celeb who slums. For example, he mushroomed in 2008 on The Tribute to Pavarotti where he gamely, but disastrously,  tries to sing Là ci darem la mano (Don Giovanni) with Angela Gheorghiu. (H'mm---this is the same Mozart duet featured in 2008 in Twin Spirits---what a coincidence.)

On subject disc, Mr. Sting only has to talk, which he does well. True, he does not have the acting chops to compare with Trudie Styler, the fully qualified actress who plays the part of Clara Schumann. But now comes the good part. Thanks to a tip from HDVD Arts friend Gordon Smith, I'm informed that Mr. Sting and Trudie Styler have been partners for decades, have been married for 15 years, and have 4 children together! So I want to warn you now---if you have tears, prepare to shed when Trudy starts to cry.

Getting back to Mr. Sting for a moment, I don't think he is a stowaway on this trip by Spaceship HDVD. I suspect he bankrolled the whole thing. If that's right, I thank him now. But just one tip. Next time he gets in a high-definition project, he should pop into the chemist (that's a pharmacy in Britain) and get something to brighten up those yellow teeth.

This title has a lot of bonus extra features. No harm done, but when musicians talk about what they do, their speech is for the most part about as slovenly as any one you might interview on the street. But do play the valuable documentary One Heart, One Soul. Dr. Gerd Nauhaus, head of the Schumann archives in Zwickau, tells us all about the Schumanns in a manicured lecture delivered in beautiful German supported by fine subtitles.

In summary then, Twin Spirits is an important fine-art HDVD because it contains what is maybe the first work of poly-discipline performance art. If this disc succeeds in its HDVD version, it may inspire others to create similar works for our new galaxy.  But even if I'm wrong about this, you will want to see Twin Spirits for its inspiring story fabulously well executed. It will tell you all you need to know about the Schumanns and whet your appetite to hear more of their music.