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The Arts Intel Report

Schubert's Winterreise, by Hans Zender

Mar 1–8, 2020
Oberer Schloßgarten 6, 70173 Stuttgart, Germany

Yes, Virginia! Another Winterreise, this one made new by a composer unafraid to add his scrawl to the strikeouts and corrections in Schubert’s messy immortal hand, recomposing the piano accompaniment for an intimate yet often ferocious instrumental ensemble, and forcing the vocal line into startling expressionistic sallies. To perform it, a recitalist who has taken the composer’s bleak winter journey 100 times in the traditional fashion, has to start over from scratch—and for a listener who has heard 100 traditional performances, the task is much the same. —M.G.