Love–one of the central themes of the Romantic art song–unfolds in all its facets, from longing and devotion to fulfillment and loss. Like a rich sonic garden, works by Robert Schumann, Richard Strauss, Alexander Zemlinsky, and Richard Wagner bring together diverse perspectives on this profound emotion.

From Schumann’s intimate Frauenliebe und Leben, tracing a woman’s life journey, to Zemlinsky’s shimmering, often melancholic waltz songs, and Wagner’s passionate, metaphysical Wesendonck Lieder, the program spans a wide emotional range. Strauss’s flower songs add further nuances of transience, illusion, and eternal love.

Together, these songs create a multifaceted panorama–from first longing to deep devotion, and from memory to farewell–each piece a unique blossom within the greater garden of love.