Solihull Arts Complex

WH Auden  - Music on the Stage from Berlin to Broadway (almost)

Auden was fascinated by the relationship of words and music. Perhaps it stemmed from his time attending church in Solihull, hearing the sung service with his mother.

In this concert, we look at the work he heard and made during the 1920s and 1930s – in Berlin and then in America.

Our virtuoso company of singers and performers (drawn from the Royal Academy of Music and Birmingham Conservatoire) will perform a selection of songs by Kurt Weill, including the Threepenny Opera, and other Berlin Cabaret composers, and these are juxtaposed with sung, played and spoken extracts from Benjamin Britten’s American operetta Paul Bunyan, for which Auden wrote the libretto.

Auden’s letters and poems – read by Kevin West - create a narrative story to link it all together.

An enchanting evening of music in the main house at Solihull's Core Theatre. Tickets are on sale in advance or via Box Office and will be available on the night - just turn up.

The Solihull WH Auden festival is taking a particular look at Auden as a young man – during the time he spent growing up in Solihull and in the 1930s, developing his individual voice. We are focusing on bringing the arts to audiences of all ages in a myriad of ways, including immersive street theatre, live readings of poetry, talks, film screenings, and participatory activity for all. For more information, please follow @SolihullCulture on Twitter and Instagram, and find the full festival programme here: https://issuu.com/insolihull-magazine/docs/wh-auden-programme.