Artists raise funds at song recital

Pianist Gisela de Villiers and baritone Robert Brooks.

The Richard Wagner Society is presenting Franz Schubert’s dramatic song cycle, Winterreise.

This fundraising recital in aid of the Richard Wagner’s Young Performers Fund will be sung by baritone Robert Brooks, and accompanied by pianist Gisela de Villiers, and will take place at 37 Kingsgate, 301 Beach Road, Sea Point, on Sunday February 26, at 6pm.

The song cycle comprises a setting of 24 poems by Wilhelm Müller and follows the popular Die schöne Müllerin.

Robert Brooks, winner of the International Singing Competition of the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria, sang widely in the most prestigious concert halls in Europe and gave many performances of this particular song cycle, before returning to South Africa to set up MIAGI (Music is a Great Investment’), which works closely to introduce and share music with the thousands of impoverished youth in our communities.

De Villiers is a composer and cabaret artist as well as a top performer on her own and as an accompanist.

Brooks and De Villiers have donated their fee to the Young Performers Fund which assists talented students’ with overseas travel and competition expenses. There will also be a raffle to raise further funds with prizes of accommodation at Castle Colona and a painting by Klaus Schilling.

Tickets are R240 for members and R260 for guests and include a finger supper and refreshments. Contact Jilly Cohen on 082 459 6225 or jillycohen@absamail.co.za to book.