The time is 1939. The time could be now. Michael Tippett’s oratorio A Child of Our Time wasn’t simply inspired by social injustice, persecution and conflict, it was written in the midst of these things, and it continues to speak to us across the decades.
A succession of events triggered the creation of this modern classic – composed during World War II – but the most important was the protest-shooting of a German diplomat in Paris by a 17-year-old Jewish boy, Herschel Grynszpan, which became a pretext for the terrible events of Kristallnacht. From this emerged the concept of a passion-oratorio in the tradition of Bach and Handel, but with African-American spirituals taking the place of reflective chorales. The powerful result transforms the story of one individual into a timeless expression of human experience.
A Child of Our Time is close to Brett Weymark’s heart: he conducted it for the 2005 Tippett centenary and in an acclaimed production for the 2021 Adelaide Festival. In this concert, it’s paired with two exciting new works featuring Sydney Philharmonia’s youth choir VOX, conducted by Elizabeth Scott. Alice Chance is no stranger to VOX programming, and she’s writing a brand new work for these virtuoso young voices. Together with Anna Dowsley, they will also give the first Australian performance of a dramatic cantata by Joanna Marsh – a vibrant work that plays on the twin themes of plastic as pollution and plasticity as a virtue.
Saturday 13 September | 2pm
Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
This performance will run for 1 hour and 40 minutes, no interval.
Joanna MARSH A Plastic Theatre – Dramatic cantata for mezzo-soprano, choir and orchestra*
Alice CHANCE New work †
Michael TIPPETT A Child of Our Time
* Australian premiere sponsored by Peter McCreanor
† Commissioned for VOX by the Silo Collective
Brett Weymark conductor
Elizabeth Scott conductor (Marsh, Chance)
Deborah Cheetham Fraillon soprano
Anna Dowsley mezzo-soprano
Nicholas Jones tenor
Teddy Tahu Rhodes baritone
Symphony Chorus
Festival Chorus
VOX (Marsh, Chance)
Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra with guests from
The Sydney Youth Orchestra
Premium $140 | A $114 | B $88 | C $60 | D $45
Concessions $126| A $103| B $79 | C $55 | D $41
Under 30 $30
A booking fee of $8.95 per transaction applies.
