Winterreise with Andrè Schuen

In the lingering warmth of summer, we present a musical winter chill as one of the world’s foremost baritones, Andrè Schuen, returns together with his trusted collaborator, pianist and lied specialist Daniel Heide. Together, evoke Schubert's iconic Winterreise on a warm summer day. Unrequited love, ice, snow and endless wanderings unite in one of Schubert's very best and most beloved works, when one of the world's most beautiful voices leads us into the tormented and frozen mind – a world where even tears freeze to ice.

This extraordinary song cycle, with its profound range of expression, is an ideal showcase for Schuen’s agile and nuanced voice, beautifully complemented by Heide’s sensitive piano artistry. The deeply emotional journey unfolds in an intimate interplay between singer and narrator on one side and pianist on the other. In Schubert’s lieder, the piano is far more than an accompanist – it enriches the narrative, adds depth and colour, and even speaks for the narrator when words fall short.

The 24 songs of this, perhaps the most celebrated song cycle in the repertoire, are predominantly set in minor keys. They draw us into a tormented soul, where moments of respite through soft major chords are rare. While the songs lack a continuous narrative, and Schubert himself organised them like a collection of sweets based on Wilhelm Müller’s text, the cycle nonetheless unfolds with a clear dramatic arc.

The singer recounts his fate: betrayed in love, he sets out on a solitary journey through snow and ice. This physical trek soon transforms into a psychological odyssey, with the landscape mirroring his hallucinatory states of disillusionment, despair, and an ever-present pull toward death. Light rarely pierces the darkness, though glimpses appear, as in the poignant "Der Lindenbaum," where he fondly recalls the infatuations of his youth. Yet, it is the frozen soul that pervades these hauntingly beautiful and achingly sorrowful songs.

André Schuen, a baritone trained at the renowned Mozarteum in Salzburg, stands among the elite of lyrical baritones, delivering Winterreise with flawless artistry and a voice of striking beauty and ease. Paired with Daniel Heide – one of the world’s most virtuosic and sensitive accompanists – Schuen finds the perfect partner to bring Schubert’s desolate winter wanderer to life, even on a sun-kissed summer day.

Program and cast

Duration: 70 minutes, no interval

Soloist: Andrè Schuen

PIanist: Daniel Heide

Programme

Franz Schubert (1797-1828): Winterreise, D 911 (1827)