by Kyle Brosnihan

Presented by Inter Poets Theater 

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Brick Aux Gallery

628 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn

Sunday, May 18, 6:30pm

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RESERVE TICKETS

Suggested Donation $10-20

Step into the salons, concert halls, and scandal-ridden love triangles of 19th-century Europe, where music isn't just art—it's a battlefield.

The War of the Romantics brings to life the fierce cultural clash between two titanic musical visions: the revolutionary genius of Richard Wagner and the classical purity of Johannes Brahms. But behind the public feuds and philosophical manifestos lies a tangled web of passion, betrayal, and longing. Wagner wages war on the musical past while secretly courting Cosima—daughter of Franz Liszt and wife of the famed conductor Hans von Bülow. Meanwhile, across the ideological divide, the quiet, brooding Brahms finds himself drawn to the brilliant and resilient Clara Schumann, whose husband Robert is spiraling into madness.

With appearances by Friedrich Nietzsche, Liszt, and other legendary figures, this witty and emotionally rich period piece explores the love, ambition, and obsession that fueled the most dramatic era in classical music. At once intellectual and deeply human, The War of the Romantics is a sweeping ode to art, desire, and the high notes of history.

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This is a script reading for a work in development.

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Cast:

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Niccolò Walsh

Hans von Bülow / Klaus​

Lillian Bornstein

Cosima Wagner / Hilda

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Paul Lutvak

Franz Liszt / Johann Jakob Brahms / Konzertmeiser

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Ozzy Dickson

Hans Richter / Messenger of King Ludwig II

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Paul Schack

Richard Wagner

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George Copeland

Johannes Brahms

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Manu Dávilla

Robert Schumann / Otto Wesendonck

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Sofia Talarico

Clara Schumann / Mathilde Wesendonck / Minna Wagner

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Alex Morrison

Joseph Joachim / King Ludwig II / Friedrich Nietzche  

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Written by Kyle Brosnihan

Directed by Paul Schack

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Special thanks to the The Brick for providing such a great space. Special thanks to Sarah Sculnick for letting us do the first cast readthrough in her apartment. Special thanks to Emily Wilson and Ben Lerner for their conversation and encouragement. 

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Bios

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Kyle Seamus Brosnihan is a Filipino-American playwright and poet. Raised in Nebraska, he now lives in Brooklyn. He received his MFA in Creative Writing from Brooklyn College in 2022. His plays include Condominium, The War of the Romantics, The Cappuccinos, and The Performance. His poetry has been published in Electric Literature, The Brooklyn Rail, The Margins, HAD, Barrelhouse, Beautiful Days Press, and elsewhere. His chapbook Portraits was published with Gasher Press, his chapbook TISOY was published with Bottlecap Press, and his chapbook Lemons was published with Bullshit Lit. IG & Twitter: young_bandido