
Programme and performers
Programme and performers
Franz Schubert Winterreise
1. Gute Nacht (Good night)
2. Die Wetterfahne (The weathervane)
3. Gefror’ne Tränen (Frozen tears)
4. Erstarrung (Numbness)
5. Der Lindenbaum (The linden tree)
6. Wasserflut (Flood)
7. Auf dem Flusse (On the river)
8. Rückblick (A backwards glance)
9. Irrlicht (Will-o’-the-wisp)
10. Rast (Rest)
11. Frühlingstraum (Dream of Spring)
12. Einsamkeit (Loneliness)
13. Die Post (The mail-coach)
14. Der greise Kopf (The hoary head)
15. Der Krähe (The crow)
16. Letzte Hoffnung (Last hope)
17. Im Dorfe (In the village)
18. Der stürmische Morgen (The stormy morning)
19. Täuschung (Delusion)
20. Der Wegweiser (The signpost)
21. Das Wirtshaus (The inn)
22. Mut! (Courage!)
23. Die Nebensonnen (Phantom suns)
24. Der Leiermann (The organ-grinder)
Allan Clayton tenor
Kate Golla piano
Lindy Hume director
David Bergman videographer
Fred Williams OBE (1927–1982) images
Paul Kildea artistic director
Translations
Gute Nacht
Fremd bin ich eingezogen,
Fremd zieh’ ich wieder aus.
Der Mai war mir gewogen
Mit manchem Blumenstrauss.
Das Mädchen sprach von Liebe,
Die Mutter gar von Eh’ –
Nun ist die Welt so trübe,
Der Weg gehüllt in Schnee.
Ich kann zu meiner Reisen
Nicht wählen mit der Zeit:
Muss selbst den Weg mir weisen
In dieser Dunkelheit.
Es zieht ein Mondenschatten
Als mein Gefährte mit,
Und auf den weissen Matten
Such’ ich des Wildes Tritt.
Was soll ich länger weilen,
Dass man mich trieb’ hinaus?
Lass irre Hunde heulen
Vor ihres Herren Haus!
Die Liebe liebt das Wandern,
Gott hat sie so gemacht –
Von einem zu dem andern –
Fein Liebchen, gute Nacht.
Will dich im Traum nicht stören,
Wär’ Schad’ um deine Ruh’,
Sollst meinen Tritt nicht hören –
Sacht, sacht die Türe zu!
Schreib’ im Vorübergehen
An’s Tor dir gute Nacht,
Damit du mögest sehen,
An dich hab’ ich gedacht.
Good night
I arrived a stranger,
A stranger I depart.
May blessed me
With many a bouquet of flowers.
The girl spoke of love,
Her mother even of marriage;
Now the world is so desolate,
The path concealed beneath snow.
I cannot choose the time
For my journey;
I must find my own way
In this darkness.
A shadow thrown by the moon
Is my companion;
And on the white meadows
I seek the tracks of deer.
Why should I tarry longer
And be driven out?
Let stray dogs howl
Before their master’s house.
Love delights in wandering –
God made it so –
From one to another.
Beloved, good night!
I will not disturb you as you dream,
It would be a shame to spoil your rest.
You shall not hear my footsteps;
Softly, softly the door is closed.
As I pass I write
‘Good night’ on your gate,
So that you might see
That I thought of you.
Rückblick
Es brennt mir unter beiden Sohlen,
Tret’ ich auch schon auf Eis und Schnee,
Ich möcht’ nicht wieder Atem holen,
Bis ich nicht mehr die Türme seh’.
Hab’ mich an jeden Stein gestossen,
So eilt’ ich zu der Stadt hinaus;
Die Krähen warfen Bäll’ und Schlossen
Auf meinen Hut von jedem Haus.
Wie anders hast du mich empfangen,
Du Stadt der Unbeständigkeit!
An deinen blanken Fenstern sangen
Die Lerch’ und Nachtigall im Streit.
Die runden Lindenbäume blühten,
Die klaren Rinnen rauschten hell,
Und ach, zwei Mädchenaugen glühten! –
Da war’s geschehn um dich, Gesell!
Kommt mir der Tag in die Gedanken,
Möcht’ ich noch einmal rückwärts sehn,
Möcht’ ich zurücke wieder wanken,
Vor ihrem Hause stille stehn.
A backwards glance
The soles of my feet are burning,
Though I walk on ice and snow;
I do not wish to draw breath again
Until I can no longer see the towers.
I tripped on every stone,
Such was my hurry to leave the town;
The crows threw snowballs and hailstones
On to my hat from every house.
How differently you received me.
Town of inconstancy!
At your shining windows
Lark and nightingale sang in rivalry.
The round linden trees blossomed,
The clear fountains plashed brightly,
And, ah, a maiden’s eyes glowed;
Then, friend, your fate was sealed.
When that day comes to my mind
I should like to look back once more,
And stumble back
To stand before her house.
Im Dorfe
Es bellen die Hunde, es rasseln die Ketten.
Es schlafen die Menschen in ihren Betten,
Träumen sich manches, was sie nicht haben,
Tun sich im Guten und Argen erlaben;
Und morgen früh ist Alles zerflossen –
Je nun, sie haben ihr Teil genossen,
Und hoffen, was sie noch übrig liessen,
Doch wieder zu finden auf ihren Kissen.
Bellt mich nur fort, ihr wachen Hunde,
Lasst mich nicht ruhn in der Schlummerstunde!
Ich bin zu Ende mit allen Träumen –
Was will ich unter den Schläfern säumen?
In the village
Dogs bark, chains rattle;
People sleep in their beds,
Dreaming of many a thing they do not possess,
Consoling themselves with the good and the bad.
And tomorrow morning all will have vanished.
Well, they have enjoyed their share,
And hope to find on their pillows
What they still have left to savour.
Drive me away with your barking, watchful dogs;
Allow me no rest in this hour of sleep!
I am finished with all dreams.
Why should I linger among slumberers?
Wilhelm Müller (1794–1827)
Translations © Richard Wigmore
Artist biographies
The flexibility and consistency of Allan Clayton’s vocal range, combined with a magnetic stage presence, have led to international acclaim in music from Baroque to contemporary. This breadth is demonstrated in recent title-roles, which range from Albert Herring and Hamlet to Faust, Candide and, most recently, his lauded portrayal of Peter Grimes at both the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and the Metropolitan Opera, New York.
He has worked in leading opera houses around the world. Highlights include his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, earlier this year in the title-role of Brett Dean’s Hamlet, the work’s US premiere; David (The Mastersingers of Nuremberg) at the Royal Opera House and Bavarian State Opera, Ferdinand (Miranda) at Paris’s Opéra Comique, and appearing in several Barrie Kosky productions for the Komische Oper Berlin, such as Tamino (The Magic Flute), Castor (Castor et Pollux), Jupiter (Semele) and the title-role in Candide.
He has appeared at the BBC Proms 10 times since his first visit in 2008 in repertoire ranging from Handel to Stravinsky, including the world premiere of Gerald Barry’s Canada in 2017. In recent concerts here at the Barbican, he has sung in Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius and Britten’s Spring Symphony under Sakari Oramo, Sir Mark Elder and Sir Simon Rattle.
He has performed at Wigmore Hall many times during his career, including curating a Britten series. He has given song recitals around the world, in repertoire ranging from Schubert to contemporary music, with several composers writing song-cycles for him, including Mark-Anthony Turnage and Josephine Stephenson. An advocate for contemporary music, he has appeared in world premieres of Sir George Benjamin’s Written on Skin, Jonathan Dove’s The Adventures of Pinocchio and Gerald Barry’s Alice’s Adventures Under Ground.
Recent performances include Beethoven’s An die ferne Geliebte with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra under Andrew Manze; H K Gruber’s Frankenstein!! at the Royal Opera House; and Britten’s Serenade with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Pekka Kuusisto. In 2020 he took part in Glyndebourne’s Garden Opera series with In the Market for Love, an updated version of Offenbach’s Mesdames de la Halle. Last year saw his role debut as Peter Grimes in a new production by Deborah Warner at Teatro Real in Madrid; the role of Jim Mahoney in Barrie Kosky’s new staging of Weill’s The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny for Komische Oper Berlin; a major residency at Snape Maltings; and Oedipus rex at the Spoleto Festival.