The words of John Keats and the melodies of Franz Schubert will be brought to life on stage at the Macquarie Conservatorium on Friday night.
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Bright Star will also bring together two greats of Australian art – theatre icon John Bell AO OBE and internationally-acclaimed pianist Simon Tedeschi – to explore will the life, love and genius of Keats and Schubert.
“Bright Star is a retelling, a homage, a love letter and a musing between two artist friends about two artists – who should have been friends, but never met,” Mr Tedeschi said.
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“John reads Keats' poetry, I play Schubert's music and the two of us talk … about what these great men mean to us as modern artists.”
Though they never met, Keats and Schubert were kindred spirits; each loved a woman beyond his reach due to social standing. Both also created masterpieces – Schubert’s Impromptu op. 90 no. 3 and Keats' Ode on a Grecian urn – which still resonate strongly today.
“These great men's work permeated culture in such a way that people may know them without being … aware of it,” Tedeschi said.
He treasured the opportunity to see Australia, and said it was his job as an artist to celebrate the “vast and beautiful country, resplendent with contrast and festooned with hidden pockets of culture”.
“It’s about meeting the communities, hearing people's stories and, hopefully, changing lives with art.”
Bright Star starts at 7.30pm on Friday, September 21. Mr Tedeschi will also give a piano masterclass at the Macquarie Conservatorium on Saturday, September 22 from 11am. Visit www.macqcon.org.au for more information.