I caught the second performance of Teiya Kasahara and David Eliakis’ Dichterliebe: Whose Love at Heliconian Hall on Saturday evening.  It was part of the Confluence Concerts series and not untypical of the eclectic nature of that series.  Also it was a logical continuation of these two partnering on shows that question gender norms in the classical music industry.

Basically it was a voice and piano performance of most of the songs from Schumann’s Dichterliebe with some added songs by Schumann and others with a prologue and afterword by Kasahara.  Some of the songs had additional pre-recorded backing.  Projected surtitles were used throughout (yeah!).

So, rather than just giving a Liederabend, Kasahara and Eliakis wanted us to think about “Whose love is important, valid and celebrated” versus a classical tradition (at least the 19th century German one) that is highly heteronormative.   It did show that the texts (mostly Heine) can be interpreted in ways other than the traditional so mission accomplished in that sense.

How about musically?  I thought it was good though not the most memorable German Lieder performance I have experienced.  The additional pre-recorded accompaniments in songs such “Stirb’, Lieb’ und Freud’!”; which used a pipe organ and “Die alten, bösen Lieder” where a drum kit seemed to be involved were interesting and worked pretty well.  Kasahara sang powerfully and accurately though in such a small hall I would have appreciated a little more light and shade but their approach had its own merits.  Eliakis played with considerable feeling and subtlety.  All in all, it was pretty satisfying.

The photo is not from this concert.