Star Friends Join Quasthoff At The Barbican

The distinguished bass-baritone Thomas Quasthoff brings his four-concert series “Die Stimme” at the Barbican to a close next week, with a recital that gathers together an astonishing line-up of the singer’s friends and colleagues.

Tenor Ian Bostridge, mezzo Angelika Kirchschlager and soprano Dorothea Roschmann will perform, alongside Quasthoff, in Schumann lieder collections, which will see rich combinations of the four voices, from solos to quartets.

Even more significant, perhaps, is the meeting of two of the world’s great accompanists, Helmut Deutsch and Julius Drake, who will perform separately and together.

The series “Die Stimme,” presented in Quasthoff’s 50th year, is named after the singer’s autobiography. It began in January with Hadyn’s The Creation, followed by a Bach and Handel programme in March and a St Matthew Passion, conducted by Chailly in April. A performance of La Damnation de Faust went ahead without Quasthoff, when the singer fell sick.

He has chosen to end the residency with an intimate evening of Schumann, which will include the composer’s Minnespiel op 101, Spanisches Liederspiel op 74 and Spanische Liebeslieder op 138.

Quasthoff was born in Hildesheim, Germany in 1959 and since 1988 has carved a career for himself as an outstanding exponent of repertoire from Bach to Schubert and Mahler. He has a growing catalogue of recordings to his credit and now, as a full-time voice professor, limits his appearances, making this final concert an enticing opportunity to experience lieder signing at its finest.

To book tickets for the concert on Thursday 29 October and to see a video interview with Thomas Quasthoff visit www.barbican.org.uk. Bookings can also be made on 020 7638 8891 (9am-8pm Mon-Sat, 11am-8pm Sun)