Clara Rising seeks to illuminate Clara Schumann's life and artistry through interdisciplinary performance, inviting audiences to experience her music, letters, and journals in conversation with one another. By centering Clara's own creative voice, the project encourages audiences to reconsider the stories we inherit, whose voices shape them, and how women's artistic contributions have been understood, preserved, and remembered.
At its heart, Clara Rising is an exploration of authorship. The performance places Clara's own music and writings at the center of the narrative, inviting audiences to encounter her through the perspective she left behind rather than solely through the interpretations of others. In doing so, the project highlights Clara as a composer, virtuoso pianist, mother, and creative force whose voice continues to enrich our understanding of her life and legacy.
Through educational programming and partnerships with organizations that provide advocacy and support for survivors of domestic violence, Clara Rising extends this exploration of authorship into the present day. By connecting historical inquiry with contemporary community partnerships, this project affirms the importance of every person having the opportunity to author their own story.