About Us
Clara is an artist-owned bar and performance space dedicated to the fusion of craft cocktails and exceptional artistry. Located in the heart of Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood, our space is designed around developing and supporting new and local performing artists. Clara provides our patrons with a warm and welcoming atmosphere to enjoy sophisticated drinks while discovering a range of performers.
Who is Clara?
Our bar is named in honor of the esteemed pianist and composer Clara Wieck Schumann, a contemporary of Chopin, Mendelssohn, Lizt, Brahms, and, of course, her husband, Robert Schumann.
Born in 1819 in Leipzig, Germany, Clara Wieck grew up in a home where music education was deeply embedded in daily life. Her passion for music ignited at an early age, and it wasn’t long before she was recognized as a child prodigy in piano performance. At just nine years old, she made her official debut at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig. By the age of 18, she was appointed Imperial Court Virtuosa to the Austrian Empress, becoming the first young person, Protestant, and woman to receive such an honor.
Clara’s musical legacy includes 23 published works, primarily consisting of solo piano pieces, chamber music, and lieder. These compositions reveal not only her profound mastery of the piano but also her extraordinary ability to express the intimate connection between emotion and music.
In addition to her artistic achievements, Clara was the mother of seven children and the primary financial provider for her household. After becoming a widow at the age of 37, she chose not to remarry, instead continuing to support her family through her music and performances.
Clara Wieck Schumann’s life is one of remarkable strength and resilience. She navigated both great personal joy and immense hardship, yet her unwavering passion for music sustained her throughout.
In creating a space that aims to celebrate the beauty and impact of music, naming it after Clara was an obvious and fitting tribute.
"My imagination can picture no fairer happiness than to continue living for art."
- Clara Schumann
