Classical and Jazz: Preview - Royal Opera House's autumn season
Published: 26 August 2010
by SEBASTIAN TAYLOR
A MULTI-media extravaganza set among forests is set to open the Royal Opera House’s autumn season.
It’s been put together by pianist and composer Joanna MacGregor, one of the most outstanding musicians to emerge from South Hampstead High School for Girls.
She’s taken forests as her grand theme – as places of quiet, reflective beauty and discovery as well as locations for fairytale narrative.
Forests are being created all over the ROH – in the public places and its various halls they will be the settings for films, soundscapes, installations and music and dance performances without admission charges throughout the day.
“I hope exploring the building, and coming across unique environments and performances, will inspire and entertain people of all ages,” says Ms MacGregor.
Her vision of a forest opens the evening performances on Friday September 3, with the audience nestling down on the forest floor in the Paul Hamlyn Hall to be enveloped by some spectacular Renaissance and contemporary music.
There’ll be Thomas Tallis’s remarkable 40-part motet Spem in Alium and the London premiere of composer Alec Roth’s massive choral piece Earthrise, scored for eight unaccompanied five-part choirs.
Between the pieces, Ms MacGregor will play Petites esquisses d’oiseaux, the last of the wonderful birdsong pieces by French composer Olivier Messiaen, together with piano poems by Japanese composer Takemitsu.
Then, on Saturday evening, there will be chilled-out music in the Paul Hamlyn Hall and the Crush Room with forests provided by the No Nation rock group.
Tabla virtuoso Talvin Singh will be partnered by electronica artist Leafcutter John and Radio Zumbido from Guatemala.
Sunday’s final performance will be a treat for Tibetan culture enthusiasts.
The remarkable Tashi Lhunpo Monks of Tibet will bring their sacred dances, music, prayers and ceremonies into the Paul Hamlyn Hall forest.
Expect monks chanting Buddhist texts and mantras, ringing bells and clashing cymbals, blowing great booming long horns and beating drums.
• The Earthrise festival is presented by Deloitte Ignite, a partnership between the Deloitte accountancy firm and the Royal Opera House.