Nocturne: The Romantic Life of Frédéric Chopin

About

An evening of words and music scripted and adapted from letters and diaries chronicling the romantic life of one the greatest and most popular composers for solo piano.

Scripted by Lucy Parham
Lucy Parham – piano
Patricia Hodge – narrator
Alex Jennings – narrator

"Lucy Parham's trailblazing concerts have become one of the must-see events on the musical calendar." BBC Music Magazine.
The third programme of words and music scripted and adapted from letters and diaries by Lucy Parham chronicles the romantic life of one the greatest and most popular composers for solo piano – Frédéric Chopin. The narrative follows his turbulent relationship with the controversial literary figure George Sand, their time together in Majorca, his fragile health and his ultimate demise in poverty in Paris at the age of 39. The readings are interspersed with some of his most loved and poignant compositions.

Nocturne received its London première in the London Pianoforte Series at the Wigmore Hall in July 2010 – the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth, with Dame Harriet Walter and Samuel West.

Recent and future performances include the Wigmore Hall, Chopin Festival in Mallorca, Kings Place, The British Library, St John's Smith Square, Algarve Concert Series, Richmond Theatre London, Rose Theatre Kingston, Chipping Campden Festival, Cambridge International Festival, St.George's Bristol, Hertford Theatre, Yeovil Octagon Theatre, Malvern Theatre, Salisbury Playhouse, Chichester Festival Theatre, Winchester Festival, Almeida Theatre, Perth Festival, Bury St. Edmunds Festival, St George's Hall Bradford, St Paul's Knightsbridge, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Harrogate Festival, Sheffield Concert Series, Middle Temple Recital Series and the Petworth Festival.

Part of the Hastings International Piano Festival.