Quasi una Fantasia: Beethoven zwart op wit
An intimate Beethoven portrait in music and in letters
Beethoven was one of the greatest classical composers who ever lived. His works are heroic and uncompromising and are performed by orchestras all over the world. Generations of musicians have devoted years to studying his music and his mastery is undisputed.
But what about the man, Ludwig? In the concert “Quasi una Fantasia”, Pianist Shuann Chai and singer-narrator Matttijs van de Woerd sketch a portrait of the man himself and his love life. Through his music and through letters written to his friends, enemies, women he either did or didn’t love, another picture of Beethoven appears: narcissistic, charming, insecure, desperate, warm, humorous, frustrated, frustrating, complicated, but most of all: human. Including bits of “Für Elise”, “Moonshine”, and the groundbreaking song cycle “An die ferne Geliebte”.
Shuann Chai - piano
Mattijs van de Woerd - spoken word, song