Leeds Lieder Festival: Evening Recital: He Sings/She Sings/They Sing

Carolyn Sampson (soprano)
Roderick Williams (baritone)
Joseph Middleton (piano)

Hannah Kendall commission
Roderick Williams commission

In this modern age of gender fluidity and identity awareness, how can the notion of art song, steeped in centuries of patriarchal tradition, keep pace and maintain its relevance?

In She Sings/He Sings/They Sing, Carolyn Sampson, Roderick Williams and Joseph Middleton tackle the knotty issue of gender politics in song head-on with a wide-ranging programme from across Europe and spanning centuries in their search for answers, inviting the audience to contribute, join the debate and encourage them on the journey.

The programme may include music by the likes of Purcell, Schumann, Wolf, Brahms, Mahler, Britten, Butterworth, Debussy, Fauré, Duparc and Rachmaninov but the exact content, especially who sings what, will be decided by the audience. So, join two of Britain’s finest singers and favourites at Leeds Lieder, grab a soap box and prepare to engage...

6:45pm - Pre-Concert Talk with Hannah Kendall

Described as ‘...intricately and skillfully wrought’ by The Sunday Times, Hannah’s music has attracted the attentions of some of the UK’s finest groups including London Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Singers, and Philharmonia Orchestra, with performances at the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and The Royal Opera House’s Linbury Studio Theatre. Hannah’s works have also been broadcast on BBC Radio, including ‘Composer of the Week’ and ‘Hear and Now’. In 2015, Hannah won the Women of the Future Award for Arts and Culture. We are thrilled that she has written this year’s Leeds Lieder Commission. Hear her introduce this new song cycle, written especially for Williams, Sampson and Middleton.

Tickets: Free (please book in advance)
Lecture Theatre 1