At the beginning of the summer this year, I was lucky enough to be involved in an exciting new opera called: 'Arcana', produced by the Bristol company: Little Rooms Productions. The concept of the opera is based on tarot cards; the characters in the story representing the cards and their meanings. As one of the composers involved, I composed two solo pieces for the show. My favourite of the two pieces centres around something very important: the relationship between a mother and her child.
'The High Priestess' is essentially the monologue of a working woman talking about her child, only to realise at the end of the piece that her child isn't really there. If you're wondering how that relates in any way to the tarot card 'The High Priestess', then it is the motherly and all-knowing love of the card that is reflected in the character. It is particularly important to me, because the card is all about female presence and strength. In the music, I've tried to convey a kind of sombre lullaby that delicately frames the life of this lonely woman. The recording is taken from one of the live performances of the show, and is sung so beautifully by one of the Arcana cast. It's brilliant to be able to share this recording on my blog. For those that didn't make it to the show in the summer, here is just a small glimpse into the concept of the show - and don't forget that Arcana: Part II will be premiering in Bristol in January 2015.
