Winterreise

The poet Wilhelm Müller (1794 - 1827) probably never dreamed that his cycle of poems, "Winterreise", would one day become the epitome of German introspection. However, his masterpiece still required music, and in 1827, Franz Schubert was happy to oblige. To this day "Winterreise" remains an artistic benchmark when it comes to expressing inner or psychological crises.

Florian Boesch is probably the perfect interpreter of this repertoire. To describe him as "only" a singer would be a gross misjudgement: he is an ingenious creator and the very embodiment of language and music. This is one of the reasons why he has been a faithful guest at the International May Festival for many years, often also delighting audiences with more unusual repertoire (e.g. Ernst Krenek's "Reisebuch aus den österreichischen Alpen"). In director Ingo Kerkhof's staged adaptation of "Winterreise", Boesch will also be challenged scenically. He is accompanied by his long-time musical partner, the Scottish pianist Malcolm Martineau.