The Lives, Loves and Music of Robert & Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms
starring
Christopher Kent and Sarah Sherborne (actors)
and
Gamal Khamis (piano)
Written and directed by Christopher Kent
Following their previous acclaimed music dramas Never Such Innocence (2018), Odyssey (2019) and Enoch Arden (2024), actor Christopher Kent and virtuoso classical pianist Gamal Khamis return, joined by actress Sarah Sherborne, with the compelling and moving story of one of music’s great love triangles.
When composer Robert Schumann tried to commit suicide in 1854 and was subsequently
committed to an asylum, his wife Clara, celebrated across Europe as a virtuoso concert
pianist, was left at home with their six young children. The young Johannes Brahms had
just been introduced to the family and rushed to offer his support to Clara. What happened
next has been the subject of speculation ever since. Clara was later to describe their
relationship as “an exquisite harmony of souls”.
Told through their diaries and letters and featuring live performances of the sublime music of all three composers, An Exquisite Harmony is a deeply moving and thought-provoking narrative which has been widely acclaimed in the West End and at venues throughout the UK.
About the performers…
The recital partnership between Christopher Kent and Gamal Khamis began in 2016 with Never Such Innocence, their acclaimed narrative recital of words and music from the First World War (described by BBC Radio 3 as “an incredibly moving performance”). It was followed in 2019 by Odyssey – Words and Music of Finding Home, with specially commissioned works by six award-winning contemporary poets and composers. In 2020 a livestreamed performance of Enoch Arden by Strauss/Tennyson from St Mary’s Perivale was viewed globally and led to subsequent performances in London and around the UK, before being recorded as a critically acclaimed CD/Streaming release by SOMM Recordings. An Exquisite Harmony – The Lives, Loves and Music of Robert & Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms followed in 2022, with performances continuing throughout the 2024/25 season. In May 2025 they will premiere their new adaptation of Shakespeare’s epic poem Venus and Adonis in Stratford with music by Mendelssohn.
Christopher Kent has appeared on stage, screen and radio in a wide range of roles from Shakespeare to contemporary drama. London theatre appearances have included Cyrano de Bergerac with Robert Lindsay at the Theatre Royal Haymarket and The Government Inspector with Timothy Spall at Greenwich Theatre. His live performances of epic story-telling and poetry, often from memory and in partnership with leading musicians, have been widely acclaimed. His regular recital partners include pianist Gamal Khamis and the Bridge String Quartet. Christopher is also one of the UK’s leading voice actors and is regularly heard on commercials, documentaries, film trailers and literary recordings.
Sarah Sherborne’s extensive TV appearances include Birds of a Feather (ITV), House of Elliot (BBC), ‘Allo ‘Allo (BBC) and Goodbye Mr Chips (BBC) and she has appeared widely on stage, with seasons at Derby, Colchester, Nottingham, Cheltenham and Bristol Old Vic. Her voice is familiar from countless audiobook, commercial and documentary recordings including narration for the current Empire Builders series on Sky History.
Described by The Times as a pianist with “formidable keyboard skills”, Gamal Khamis first performed at the Wigmore Hall at the age of ten, and he has since appeared at Carnegie Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Sage Gateshead, as well as all over Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. He has won major prizes at the Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition and the Ferrier Awards and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 3 In Tune. Recent engagements have included conducting Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera in Sheffield, as well as performing concertos by Rachmaninov, Schumann and Grieg with orchestras across the UK. Gamal is a Samling Artist and a member of the award-winning Lipatti Piano Quartet. In 2024 Gamal was appointed as a professor at the Royal College of Music.
