An Exquisite Harmony – Autumn Soirée
Duration: 120 mins
Date: Sunday 13th September, 2026
The Lives, Loves and Music of Robert & Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms
Written and directed by Christopher Kent
Christopher Kent & Sarah Sherbourne actors
Gamal Khamis piano
Programme:
Clara Schumann — Flüchtige Stücke, Op. 15 no. 1
Robert Schumann (arr. Clara Schumann) — Widmung, Op. 25 no. 1
Brahms — Piano Sonata no. 2 in F sharp minor, Op. 2 i. Allegro non troppo
Clara Schumann — Romance in G Minor, Op. 21 no. 3
Robert Schumann — Ghost Variations, WoO 14, Theme & Variation 5
Brahms — Intermezzo in E flat minor, Op. 118 no. 6
Schumann — Gesänge der Frühe, Op. 133 i. In rühigen tempo
Piano parts are within the narration; there is no interval
The recital partnership between Christopher Kent and Gamal Khamis began in 2016 with Never Such Innocence, their acclaimed narrative recital of words and music from the First World War (described by BBC Radio 3 as “an incredibly moving performance”). It was followed in 2019 by Odyssey – Words and Music of Finding Home, with specially commissioned works by six award-winning contemporary poets and composers. In 2020 a livestreamed performance of Enoch Arden by Strauss/Tennyson from St Mary's Perivale was viewed globally and led to subsequent performances in London and around the UK, before being recorded as a critically-acclaimed CD/Streaming release by SOMM Recordings.
An Exquisite Harmony about the lives and music of Robert & Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms followed in 2022, with performances continuing throughout the 2024/25 season. Their adaptation of Venus & Adonis was commissioned by the inaugural Shakespeare in Music Festival and premiered at Stratford in 2025.
Christopher Kent has appeared on stage, screen and radio in a wide range of roles from Shakespeare to contemporary drama. London theatre appearances have included Cyrano de Bergerac with Robert Lindsay at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, The Government Inspector with Timothy Spall at Greenwich Theatre and most recently Bob Price in Things I Know To Be True at OSO Barnes.
His live performances of epic story-telling in partnership with leading musicians have been widely acclaimed. Television appearances include Shoot to Kill, Maggie’s Baby, Stealing the Fire and Coronation Street and his voice is regularly heard on commercials, documentaries and film trailers.
Sarah Sherborne’s extensive TV appearances include Birds of a Feather (ITV), House of Elliot (BBC), ‘Allo ‘Allo (BBC) and Goodbye Mr Chips (BBC) and she has appeared widely on stage, with seasons at Derby, Colchester, Nottingham, Cheltenham and Bristol Old Vic. Her voice is familiar from countless audiobook, commercial and documentary recordings including narration for the current Empire Builders series on Sky History.
Described by The Times as a pianist with "formidable keyboard skills", Gamal Khamis first performed at the Wigmore Hall at the age of ten, and he has since appeared at Carnegie Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Sage Gateshead, as well as all over Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Recent engagements have included conducting Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera in Sheffield, as well as performing concertos by Rachmaninov, Schumann and Grieg with orchestras across the UK. Gamal is a Samling Artist and a member of the award-winning Lipatti Piano Quartet. In 2024 Gamal was appointed as a professor at the Royal College of Music.
