Alice Coote mezzo-soprano
Christian Blackshaw piano

Main image: Alice Coote © Jiyang Chen

Schubert’s song cycle depicts a “wintry journey” through heartbreak, grief, and glimpses of consolation in a snowy landscape. Here it is performed by the outstanding duo of mezzo-soprano Alice Coote – one of the great artists of our day – and pianist Christian Blackshaw (“exquisite, considered, human, remarkable”) in what will be an unmissable start to the final day of this year’s Festival.

Britten and Pears, who revered Schubert, first performed Winterreise on 3 July 1961. This was their first public performance of the cycle, Pears preferring to wait until he felt his voice was ready, which came at last at the age of 50. Since then it has been performed at the Aldeburgh Festival on numerous occasions.