Ensemble Offspring

Divine Darkness

Ensemble Offspring transcends the rituals of the concert hall in a drama-infused program that’s as much for the eyes as it is for the ears. At the heart of the concert, David T. Little’s Ghostlight plays on the superstitions and mysteries of the theatre in a spellbinding musical journey – equal parts introspection and turbulent drama.

 A transcendent new work for voice and quartet by Jane Sheldon takes the Buddhist concept of vihava tanha (the desire for non-existence) as its starting point.

Transformation underpins Entropic Arrows by Icelandic powerhouse Anna Thorvaldsdottir, as fragile and delicate musical ideas are passed from one musician to another – no turning back. 

And Daniela Terranova’s Rainbow Dust in the Sky offers ghostly echoes and fragments from “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” in an elusive lullaby. 

Jane Sheldon returns to the stage for Lisa Illean’s ethereal and romantic Cantor (after Willa Cather) haunting the boundaries between day and night. Wrapping the music in visions of light, an immersive video by Peachey & Mosig will make this divinely dark sonic dreamworld all encompassing

Program 
ANNA THORVALDSDOTTIR Entropic Arrows (2020) 
JANE SHELDON Come, dark sigh* (2024) 
DAVID T. LITTLE Ghostlight (2015) 
DANIELA TERRANOVA Rainbow Dust in the Sky (2018) 
LISA ILLEAN Cantor (after Willa Cather) (2017) 

 Artists 
Jack Symonds (conductor) Jane Sheldon (soprano) Claire Edwardes (Artistic Director, percussion) Lamorna Nightingale (flutes) Jason Noble (clarinet) Véronique Serret (violin) Victoria Bihun (violin) Henry Justo (viola) Blair Harris (cello) Benjamin Ward (double bass) Ronan Apcar (piano - 2025 Hatched Emerging Artist) Ben Carey (sound) Peachey & Mosig (video)

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Street One | Unreserved | Duration 75 minutes

David T. Little in Conversation with Caroline Stacey
Pre-Show Event - Friday 4 July, 5:45pm

Hear from New York composer David T. Little who is visiting Sydney and Canberra for the Australian premiere of his work Ghostlight as part of Divine Darkness. You’ll have the chance to hear about his process creating Ghostlight and his unique perspectives on the world of opera and chamber music as a composer who has “a knack for overturning musical conventions” (The New York Times)!

This is a free pre-show event, but reservations are essential to manage numbers. Please RSVP with name and telephone number via rsvp@thestreet.org.au.