Over the last couple of months, I have been involved in crafting a project with Green Opera that tells the story of Eugenie Schumann, the youngest daughter of Clara and Robert, and her lover, the soprano Marie Fillunger.
‘Fillu’ came to live with the Schumann’s when the two women were in their early twenties. She studied with Clara and soon became part of the family. Eugenie accompanied her coaching sessions with Clara, and the pair fell in love across the piano.
Their close relationship caused a great deal of tension and eventually Fillu had to move to England. Eugenie was only able to follow her later, but the pair did eventually live out their days together. They are now buried in Switzeland along with Marie, Eugenie’s sister. The grave stone reads Sister’s Marie and Eugenie Schumann, and ‘friend’ Fillu.
Our Liederabend tells their story through a dramatised performance of Lieder by the Schumann’s and their close musical circle, and readings of letters from Fillu to Eugenie. When Eugenie wrote her memoire after Fillu’s death, her life-long love was barely mentioned. Their love for each other was necessarily kept a secret throughout their life-time. We are telling the unwritten memoire, the story that they themselves could not ever tell.
It has been a very rewarding process working with Eleanor Burke (director) and Anna-Luise Wagner (Fillu) exploring the characters of these inspirational women, and weaving together Lieder and letters to tell their story. Our first performance of ‘Fillu’ is at 8.30pm on the 26th of January at Selwyn College. This is part of the Minerva Festival, two months of recitals and other events, championing music written by women and non-binary composers. There will be a retiring collection for the Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre.
I have also written an article about LGBTQ+ representation in opera which you can read here.
