Hugo Wolf’s Mörike Art Songs Land in Potchefstroom - 29 July

Touching the Edge of the Abyss – One Lied at a Time

Classical music fans who enjoy their lieder with a side of drama, poetry and existential dread will want to pencil in the 29th of July. NG Kerk Vyfhoek in Baillie Park, Potchefstroom, will play host to Hugo Wolf – Mörike Art Songs: Touching the Edge of the Abyss, a programme promising less fluff and more depth.

This isn’t your run-of-the-mill concert. Expect art songs that bite back.

The Setup

The evening’s programme revolves around the poetry of Eduard Mörike, set to music by the ever-intense Hugo Wolf. These aren’t just pretty songs about flowers and birds, they’re dramatic, nuanced and, if the subtitle is anything to go by, hovering somewhere near the abyss.

The songs are grouped thematically and framed by a narrative crafted as a fictional memoir between Wolf and Mörike. It’s part performance, part historical reimagining, an ambitious concept that brings biographical insight into the composers’ inner worlds. You might just leave knowing more about their neuroses than your own.

The Performers

Baritone Dolf Mathee takes centre stage, performing the pieces and pulling double duty as the author of the narrative text. He’ll be joined by pianist and life partner Jana Mathee, because nothing says couple goals like interpreting 19th-century art songs together on stage. Piet Koornhof will handle narration duties, guiding the audience through the twisted, lyrical labyrinth.

When and Where

• Date: Tuesday, 29 July 2025

• Time: 18:30

• Venue: NG Kerk Vyfhoek, 40 Tinktinkie Street, Baillie Park, Potchefstroom

Tickets

Tickets are going for R130 per person. Students and pensioners get in at R80.

Bookings can be made through Quicket.

Whether you’re a lieder-lover or just in it for the highbrow emotional spirals, Touching the Edge of the Abyss promises a memorable dive into Hugo Wolf’s stormy song cycle.