For Subscribers

‘When Mandela asked how I was, I admitted I was nervous’ - Maria Kliegel on Hommage à Nelson M.: Sentimental Work

2022-08-08T09:35:00

we

The German cellist recalls the creation of Hommage à Nelson M., inspired by the life of Nelson Mandela – and the long road to performing it in front of the man himself

Explore more Featured Stories like this in The Strad Playing Hub

In 1995 I went on holiday to Hawaii, and I took with me a copy of Long Walk to Freedom, the autobiography of Nelson Mandela. I was captivated by his life, his journey and his passion for social justice: it was amazing to think of how he was imprisoned at the age of 44, spent 27 years incarcerated and still remained strong, smuggling out his writings and convincing other prisoners to back him. Then four years after being released, he was President of South Africa. It was an incredible story and from then on, I was burning to meet this man…

Already subscribed? Please sign in

Continue reading this article and explore hundreds more…

  • Easy registration

    Sign up to access select Strad content and the option to receive our weekly newsletters

    Register

  • Free 7-day subscription

    Full access including all subscriber content and the digital archive

    No strings attached – we won’t ask for card details

    Free Trial