Songs of Devotion and Desire

An intimate concert centred on Benjamin Britten’s extraordinary Canticles - miniature dramas that distill complex emotional and spiritual themes into concentrated musical forms.

Often described as “operas in miniature”, Britten’s Canticles serve as profound psychological portraits. They trace themes of love, sacrifice, transcendence and doubt, revealing the fragile boundary between the sacred and the deeply human.

Britten openly acknowledged that Henry Purcell’s Divine Hymns provided the creative impulse for the Canticles - part of his broader engagement with the English Baroque tradition established by Purcell and later shaped by Handel.

In a powerful contemporary response, Lyric Opera of Melbourne will present the World Premieres of Sacred Songs Books I & II by Australian composer Kevin March. Presented in dialogue with Britten’s Canticles, March’s new works offer deeply personal reflections on faith and meaning in the modern world.

Artists

Louis Hurley - Tenor

Olivia Federow-Yemm - Mezzo-soprano

Abbie Edlin - French Horn

Stefan Cassomenos - Piano

Program

Benjamin Britten

Canticle I: My beloved is mine and I am his, Op. 40

Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac, Op. 51

Canticle III: Still Falls the Rain, Op. 55

Kevin March

Sacred Songs Book I (World Premiere)

Sacred Songs Book II (World Premiere)