Visual art and music will merge as part of the Darwin Symphony Orchestra’s final concert for 2012 “Symphony in the City: Messa di Gloria with Rosario La Spina” on Saturday, 1 December at Darwin Entertainment Centre.
The concert will feature a new and unique work composed by local musician Nora Lewis, and will see the award-winning tenor Rosario La Spina make a welcome return to Darwin, after the bricklayer-turned-Opera star wowed audiences at last year’s Opera Gala.
For her piece “Onsight”, Ms Lewis turned to the world of visual arts for inspiration, using works from the Charles Darwin University Art Collection and Art Gallery and well-known Darwin artist Therese Ritchie.
Commissioned by DSO as part of its commitment to supporting Territory culture, Ms Lewis’s piece was informed by her responses to three works; “Watikutjarra” by Balgo artist Miriam Baadjo, “Flat Reef” by Bentinck Island artist Paula Paul and “Swallow” by Darwin-based Therese Ritchie.
Ms Lewis said she was intrigued by the challenge of creating music with a visual starting-point.
“It was an enjoyable process, being able to explore my initial reactions to the work to see where they would lead, as opposed to conducting an analysis,” Ms Lewis said. “In fact I was fortunate to have received advice from Therese Ritchie, who reminded me that a person’s instinctive response to art is just as valid as when the meaning behind a piece is known.”
Audiences will gain a glimpse into the creative process when the paintings are each projected onto a screen behind the musicians during next month’s performance.
“Onsight” will feature in DSO’s Symphony in the City: Messa di Gloria with Rosario La Spina on Saturday, 1 December at Darwin Entertainment Centre.
Performing Puccini’s famous Mass alongside La Spina are the Darwin Chorale, who will have over 50 performers onstage to carry the extensive chorus work required of the piece.
More information visit: www.dso.org.au