BILLETTERIE

PRÉSENTATION

Une belle occasion d’écouter le compositeur majeur de la Nouvelle Zélande d’aujourd’hui, Michel Williams, également pianiste qui accompagnera l’une des grandes contraltos de notre époque, Kristin Darragh. Quelques créations auront lieu également, de Michael Williams lui-même, et du guitariste Arnaud Dumond.

Kristin Darragh, contralto
Michael Williams, pianiste et compositeur
Arnaud Dumond, guitariste et compositeur

PROGRAMME

Michael F Williams – Where everything is music, in my soul – for contralto, and piano

Where Everything is Music and In my Soul are part of what will be a larger song cycle for contralto and variable instrumental ensembles. Rabia and Rumi, both Sufi mystics who lived the 8th and 13th centuries respectively, explored themes of divinity and consciousness in their lives and writing.

The aim of the musical settings has been to capture the intense beauty and clarity of the text through simple and direct expression. The language is tonal, although there is a hint of the middle east present in “In my Soul”.

Michael F Williams – Luce viva – for contralto, violin, cello and piano – Version voix et piano

In 2022 Professor Martin Lodge was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour, and musical colleagues and friends banded together to organise a concert celebrating his life. I was humbled and touched when Martin Lodge asked if I might compose a new piece for this special concert. Martin has been my closest friend and confidant for many years, and this work gave me an opportunity for to express my deep gratitude for his unwavering kindness and wisdom.

His choice of text for this piece, Dante’s Paradiso (Par: 13.52.60), seemed perfect for the occasion. Apart from its obvious beauty, there resonates a powerful and poignant reminder of the eternal nature of love and life.

Scored for piano trio and contralto, my aim was to create an expression of simple clarity and spaciousness that I hope captures the message contained in Dante’s masterpiece.

Michael F Williams – Homage for J S Bach – for solo guitar

Création pour contralto et guitare de Michael  Williams

Création pour contralto et guitare de Arnaud Dumond

Often after completing a major work, I like to compose something short and reasonably simple, that I call “palette cleansers”. My Homage to J S Bach is one such piece.

It takes its inspiration from the prelude in g major from Bach’s 1^st cello suite. Although obviously very different from Bach, it was the simple harmonic progressions unfolding in a series of arpeggios that link it to Bach.

BIOGRAPHIES

Kristin Darragh is a New Zealand born contralto, her voice described by Opernglas as one of ‘breathtakingly beautiful depth and formidable penetrating power.’ Performances highlights last season included her return to the New Zealand Opera stage as Marcellina in Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and the Alto solo in Brahms Alto Rhapsody with Orchestra Wellington. At home on the concert platform, Kristin is a regular soloist with New Zealand’s orchestras; recent performances include the Alto soloist with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, The Christchurch Symphony orchestra and Opus Orchestra. Upcoming engagements include a return to the New Zealand Opera stage as Lady Bertrum in Jonathan Dove’s Mansfield Park and her debut with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as Grimgerde in Die Walküre with Simone Young. Kristin was engaged as a full time soloist at Theater Lüneburg, Germany. Whilst based in Europe she returned home regularly as a principal artist for New Zealand Opera. Her roles included Siebel (Faust), Olga (Eugene Onegin), Amastre (Xerses), Maddalena (Rigoletto), Suzuki (Madame Butterfly) Third Lady (Magic Flute) and Mercedes ( Carmen.) Other operatic experience includes Erda (Das Rheingold),  La Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica),  Grimgerde (Die Walküre), Baba The Turk (The Rake’s Progress), Stewardess (Flight), Florence Pike (Albert Herring), Zita (Gianni Schicchi) and the title role in Britten’s Rape of Lucretia. Kristin trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London and has a Masters degree in Performance Voice. Her awards have included the Tower AIMES award for outstanding achievement in Music and the New Zealand Opera Circle100 Scholarship. Kristin is now a member of the Circle100 committee, and is very involved in the mentoring and training of New Zealand’s young singers at the highest level She is Director of Vocal Performance at the University of Waikato and she also works a professional voice actor.

Michael Williams is a well-known figure in New Zealand composition. He has received commissions from most of the country’s major musical institutions including the NZSO, NBR New Zealand Opera and Chamber Music New Zealand and his music is regularly broadcast on Radio New Zealand Concert. He has recorded a number of works through the Atoll label. His music covers a wide range of genres including chamber music, orchestral, concerti and opera.  Polystylistic in his approach to composition, many influences can be heard in his music from Gregorian chant to the use of pitch class sets and he maintains an interest in the digital manipulation of acoustic instruments which is evident in a number of his works. In his recent work, Michael has included elements of Middle Eastern musical language in his music in conjunction with western traditions. This is particularly evident in his latest opera Du’a (Prayer) for Broken Shelter which is in progress with performances scheduled for 2025 with NZ Opera. Michael is thrilled to be working with award winning author and librettist Tracey Slaughter and Nida Fiazi. His piece of violin and piano Song for Emily was premiered at the prestigious Tchaikovsky festival in St Petersburg as a special guest composer, in November 2020. Recent premiers and commissions include a new piece Equinox for the New Zealand Guitar Quartet; a set of piano pieces Arteria Meridionale for acclaimed Italian pianist Alessandro Vena; his 2019 piece Nga Wha Moana for guitar, Taonga Puoro (traditional Maori instruments) and digital FX was recorded and performed by leading Spanish guitarist Marcelo de Puebla and Horomona Hora; Spirit Flies, Sun Rises for piano trio was premiered in Wellington NZ and followed by a national tour to critical acclaim in August 2019; Homage to J S Bach premiered by Marcelo de Puebla in June 2019. Michael’s piece Surah Al Ma’dah for soprano and piano, written in memorium of the victims of the Christchurch massacre was premiered in Sydney Australia by acclaimed soprano Ayse Shanal in October 2019. His 1^st Symphony Letters from the Front written for the 100^th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign in WWI and commissioned by the NZSO was premiered in duel concerts by the NZSO and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Opera House to critical acclaim. It was recorded by Atoll Records in 2017 with the NZSO, soprano Madeleine Pierard and conductor Benjamin Northy. In 2013 Michael’s opera The Juniper Passion, based on the battle for Monte Cassino in WWII was premiered at the amphitheater in Cassino Italy followed by performances in Rome and Nemi. This was the first ever New Zealand opera to be performed in Italy. The Juniper Passion captured the hearts of the Italian pubic. His Chamber Opera The Prodigal Child is to receive its international premier with the Florida State Opera and Florida State University in May 2018. This follows great success with productions in Taranaki, Auckland, Christchurch and Hamilton. The opera was recorded with Atoll Records and is now available on CD. Piercing the Vault for oboe and orchestra was commissioned by the NZSO in 2005 and has toured the country twice since. His Triple Concerto which was a commission from the Opus Chamber Orchestra with the New Zealand Chamber Soloists was premiered in September 2008. His work is in demand internationally including Europe, Asia and the USA. He is co-founder and artistic director of the University of Waikato contemporary performance ensemble ‘Okta’ Michael teaches across a number of areas including composition, orchestration, computer music, aesthetics and harmony and counterpoint.

Peinture : Alexander Harrison, Usa, 1885