MISS HAVISHAM’S WEDDING NIGHT
11 - 15 September, 2024 | 7:30PM
This year’s Sydney Fringe Festival will spotlight a unique evening of music and storytelling: the world premiere of Jorde Heys’ new song cycle, Pamphilia to Amphilanthus, prologuing the Australian premiere of Dominick Argento’s operatic monodrama, Miss Havisham’s Wedding Night. This innovative performance marks a confluence of old and new, as Heys’ new composition is paired with a rarely heard work by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Argento.
Two Australian premieres feature in a musical exploration of failure, shame and love gone wrong through Dickens' infamous Miss Havisham.
Pamphilia to Amphilanthus sets six sonnets of 16th-century poet Lady Mary Wroth, exploring the complexities of love, loss, and the emotional turbulence that comes with them. Composed for mezzo-soprano and piano, Heys’ song cycle brings Wroth’s introspective and vividly descriptive poetry into the modern era, allowing audiences to engage with the text in a fresh and resonant way.
Lady Mary Wroth
(1587-1653) was an English poet and writer, best known for her groundbreaking sonnet sequence Pamphilia to Amphilanthus, one of the first by a woman, exploring themes of love, desire, and the complexities of the human heart.
In addition to Heys’ premiere, the evening will feature the Australian debut of Miss Havisham’s Wedding Night, a one-act opera by Dominick Argento. Based on Charles Dickens’ iconic character from Great Expectations, this work delves into the psyche of Miss Havisham, a woman consumed by unrequited love and betrayal. The opera, composed in 1981, is a striking exploration of memory and obsession, brought to life through Argento’s powerful score and John Olon-Scrymgeour’s compelling libretto.
The performance also marks the Australian debut of Lights On Theatre, a collective known for their innovative use of shadow puppetry in conjunction with classical music. Having honed their craft in Manchester, UK, Lights On Theatre brings their distinctive style to Sydney for the first time. Their contribution to the evening’s performance promises to add a visually captivating dimension to the music, creating an immersive experience that blends sound, light, and shadow.
Lights On Theatre’s Le Bestiaire, presented at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester UK
Sydney Fringe 2024 provides the perfect platform for the premiere of Pamphilia to Amphilanthus, offering audiences a chance to engage with new work in an intimate setting. Its pairing with Miss Havisham’s Wedding Night adds an additional layer to the evening, as both works explore the complexities of the female psyche in different, yet complementary ways.
Whether you are a fan of classical music, poetry, or new art music, this production offers something unique and resonant. Pamphilia to Amphilanthus is an invitation to explore the rich emotional terrain of Lady Mary Wroth’s sonnets, brought to life through Jorde Heys’ thoughtful and expressive musical voice.
For more details about the premiere season and ticket information, visit Miss Havisham’s Wedding Night at Sydney Fringe.