“A spellbinding performance that interprets Aud the Deep Minded's life with depth and musical intensity. A powerful blend of music, storytelling and light.”
— Cromarty Arts Trust
Aud the Deep Minded press photos
Aud the Deep Minded - Press Release
Reframing the Language of Modern Opera
A groundbreaking new chamber opera scored for soprano (Cliona Cassidy), clarinet (Joanna Nicholson), horn (Andy Saunders) and electronic soundscape (Alistair MacDonald) with projection art by Kirsty Anderson, Aud the Deep Minded is reframing the language of modern opera. With influences from the likes of Sinead O’Brien and Yard Act blended with 9th century church music and Norwegian folk, it’s about as far away from Mozart as you can imagine - except it isn’t, the structures of aria and recitative are very much in there, just transformed for the 21st century. “I wanted to create the concert that I would want to go to as an audience member,” says composer and clarinetist in the piece, Joanna Nicholson, shortlisted for her debut solo release Gyre in the most recent Scottish New Music Awards. “I want the musicians to be like magic beings, pushing the edges of their skill and strength every performance, taking risks, daring to expand their own creativity.” The story: Aud the Deep Minded was a real historical figure, a Viking who lived in Ireland and Scotland and was regarded as a great leader. Says Nicholson, “Aud is usually presented as strong and authoritative, but I wondered, what if she wasn’t like that, what if she was a more vulnerable, reluctant leader. How might she have felt about the circumstances in which she found herself?” The show uses improvised word play on the varying pronunciations of Aud’s name in different Nordic and Celtic languages to reflect on her status as an immigrant, and the musical source material from church and folk backgrounds blends Aud's affinities with both Christianity and paganism. @who_is_Aud #Iamaud
For images: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/hdqyto16w8tkpato4baay/AG3ZUF0ooufeeb1Mkq987WA?rlkey=kj01hx1dg60olkww6h8fj1lu5&st=07vv8fyz&dl=0 Photo credits FatManSkinnyCamera Media tickets on request. For interviews with Joanna: nicholsonjoanna@hotmail.com or 07710 544966
For images: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/hdqyto16w8tkpato4baay/AG3ZUF0ooufeeb1Mkq987WA?rlkey=kj01hx1dg60olkww6h8fj1lu5&st=07vv8fyz&dl=0 Photo credits FatManSkinnyCamera Media tickets on request. For interviews with Joanna: nicholsonjoanna@hotmail.com or 07710 544966
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