Mother Clara a beautiful singspiel by Graham Johnson .
With Janet Suzman,Alexandra Gilbreath,Sophie Rennert,Roderick Williams they told the other story of Clara through the eyes of Eugenie,one of Clara’s seven siblings.
Clara was a ‘tough cookie’,self centered and ‘a legendary matriarch of unimpeachable seriousness and dignity’.A pioneer who made concertising a respectable profession for young women.
Receiving the sonata that Liszt had dedicated to her asylumed husband she declared it a fearful noise!Overtones of Bernard Shaw’s famous confrontation between mother and daughter.Another up to date ‘spare’ kiss and tell tale of abandoned love in childhood !’
‘My kingdom for a horse’indeed!
A superb Janet Suzman,ravishing Sophie Rennert ,imposing Roderick Williams and the very outspoken Eugenie of Alexandra Gilbreath.
But the real star was never ‘too loud’ and Graham’s chameleonic role of Sherlock Holmes ,scriptwriter and researcher was outshone not only by the magic that poured from his fingers but also the weight of his acting skills that could hold their own with such a noble assembly of artists
ChristopherAxworthy-MusicCommentary 