Origin: Scenes from the Wild..
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Immerse yourself in the diary of a young, autistic naturalist in the world premiere of Scenes from the Wild.
Commissioned for our 50th Anniversary Season, Scenes from the Wild is a dramatic song cycle based on the 2020 book by Dara McAnulty, Diary of a Young Naturalist, with music by Cheryl Frances-Hoad and text by librettist and musician Amanda Holden. The piece will be given its three world premiere performances on 25 and 27 November, as part of our Origin series at Southwark Cathedral.
Amanda Holden wrote:
“The diary, March 2018-19, begins with an echo of Dara’s early memories, then traces the year through his autism and being bullied at school, but primarily through real events that describe his interaction with the natural world. His fascination for all flora and fauna and his horror at their destruction lead on to the start of his activism; by the end of this year he emerges, just before his 15th birthday, knowing where he must go.”
The tenor in the piece is reflective of McAnulty and the chamber orchestra adds the colour of the world around him, with each instrument giving their time to shine as they represent different birds throughout the 27 songs.
Joining City of London Sinfonia for these performances are tenor William Morgan and conductor Geoffrey Paterson, with movement direction from Sarah Dowling (Punchdrunk).
Hear more from Cheryl Frances-Hoad in our podcast - available on major podcast providers. Listen on Spotify >>
Programme
CHERYL FRANCES-HOAD Scenes from the Wild
City of London Sinfonia
Geoffrey Paterson Conductor
William Morgan Tenor
Sarah Dowling Movement Director
Performance dates
Thursday 25 November, 7pm
Saturday 27 November, 2.30pm - relaxed performance
Saturday 27 November, 7pm
Prices and discounts
Standard: £25, £20
CLS 5IVER (students, 16-25s): £5 - Roaming only
Child (U16s): £1
No booking fees. All tickets are subject to availability. Read our terms and conditions of sale.
For concessions and access enquiries, please contact our box office by email at boxoffice(at)cls.co(dot)uk or visit our Box Office support page.
Origin Series Saver: Save 10% on Standard tickets when you book for three or more concerts in the Origin series at the same time. The discount will be applied automatically at the checkout.
Choose how you experience the music
Guaranteed seating: Experience the music in guaranteed seats in the Cathedral’s Nave, in front of the main performance space, while still having the freedom to move about if you wish.
Roaming: Pull up one of our comfy cushions, sit on the ledges, and create your own musical journey by wandering and exploring the acoustics around the Cathedral.
Your safety is important
We continue to monitor and adapt to government guidelines alongside Southwark Cathedral and remain committed to doing everything we can to make our audience members feel safe while having enjoyable times at our concerts.
In these current times, with restrictions lifted, we will continue to encourage face coverings during performances for the safety of staff, musicians, and audience members. Under the current government guidelines, you will be encouraged to register with NHS Test and Trace upon arrival or by providing your contact details to a member of our team. Hand sanitiser stations will be available across the site.
More on safety measures & FAQs >>
Southwark Cathedral visitor info >>
'Scenes from the Wild' is supported by Cockayne – Grants for the Arts and the London Community Foundation, The Leche Trust, PRS Foundation’s The Open Fund for Organisations, and using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
‘Origin’ is supported by the John Ellerman Foundation.
CLS images by Tom Bowles Photography, 2020-21.