Leading light of Irish theatre Ingrid Craigie plays Clara Schumann in the Irish premiere of an evening of music and drama focussing on the life and loves of Johannes Brahms, one of the 2018 Festival’s featured composers.

With a new script by pianist and writer Iain Burnside, Shining Armour explores the intense 40-year relationship between Clara and Brahms through a performance of his great song cycle, The Fair Magelone, performed by leading baritone William Dazeley (whose Don Giovanni for Opera North was recently acclaimed). Iain Burnside makes a welcome return to the Festival after his residency for our 2017 Schubert series.