A dark past, a hopeful future

The Eumeralla river flows through Gunditjmara country in southwest Victoria. It was here, 180 years ago, that war broke out between traditional owners and those who sought to dispossess them of their land.

Combining moving poetry, three choirs, orchestra and the platform of the Requiem mass, a history of heartbreak and horror is revealed in this monumental new work. With a fusion of Western classical tradition and First Nations culture, Eumeralla soars with resilience and reconciliation.

DEBORAH CHEETHAM AO Eumeralla, a war requiem for peace

Benjamin Northey conductor
Deborah Cheetham soprano (Yorta Yorta) 
Linda Barcan mezzo soprano 
Don Bemrose baritone (Gungarri) 
Dhungala Children’s Choir
WASO Chorus
Penrhos College

Presented by WASO and Short Black Opera.

Sung in dialects of the Gunditjmara people of southwestern Victoria. Eumeralla, a war requiem for peace is presented in Perth with support from the Bendat Family Foundation. The Gunditjmara translation was the work of senior Gunditjmara language custodian Vicki Couzens and linguist Travers Eira.

WASO’s Indigenous Creative Collaborations are supported by Bendat Family Foundation.

In the year of Beethoven's 250th birthday, the MSO will present one of his greatest works in a dynamic and dramatically different style to any other performance worldwide.

Rediscover the monumental masterwork that has been astounding audiences for almost two centuries.

Share the joy at the MSO’s Season Opening Gala, where the epic struggle for peace and ultimate triumphant bliss of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony will be physically embodied by Circa, Australia’s premier contemporary circus.

In this first-time collaboration between the MSO and Circa, ten world-class circus artists under the direction of Yaron Lifschitz will present Beethoven’s music in its physical form – with emotionally-charged choreography intricately woven to reflect the score. Extreme skill and dramatic acrobatics play out in this grand celebration of humanity, where the lines between movement, music, dance and theatrics are blurred and boundaries are pushed.

Latvian soprano Maija Kovaļevska joins Australian soloists mezzo-soprano Jacqueline Dark, tenor Paul O’Neill and bass Warwick Fyfe, as well as the mighty MSO Chorus for the final movement of the remarkable Ninth Symphony.

Beethoven was the first major composer to include chorus and soloists in a symphony, and he did so when almost completely deaf. Now one of the most recognisable melodies in classical music, Ode to Joy prompted thunderous applause at the conclusion of the symphony’s premiere in 1824. Unable to hear the reaction, Beethoven remained standing facing the orchestra at the end of the performance, and had to be tapped on the shoulder to see the overwhelming response.

This revolutionary world-first staging of Beethoven 9 by a circus company will be performed alongside a world premiere by revered Australian composer Deborah Cheetham AO, her Dutala (Star-Filled Sky), a work created in response to Beethoven’s Ninth.

Written for symphony orchestra and chorus, Cheetham draws on the soaring emotions and spirit of Beethoven’s work to complement the classic in original and innovative style.

Circa is one of the world’s leading performance companies – pioneering how extreme physicality can create powerful and moving performances. Since 2004, from their base in Brisbane, Australia, Circa have toured the world – performing in 40 countries to over a million people. In 2019 Circa performed at some of the world’s leading venues and festivals including the Philharmonie de Paris, Palau de la Musica, Barcelona and White Light Festival, New York City.

In the year of Beethoven's 250th birthday, the MSO will present one of his greatest works in a dynamic and dramatically different style to any other performance worldwide.

Rediscover the monumental masterwork that has been astounding audiences for almost two centuries.

Share the joy at the MSO’s Season Opening Gala, where the epic struggle for peace and ultimate triumphant bliss of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony will be physically embodied by Circa, Australia’s premier contemporary circus.

In this first-time collaboration between the MSO and Circa, ten world-class circus artists under the direction of Yaron Lifschitz will present Beethoven’s music in its physical form – with emotionally-charged choreography intricately woven to reflect the score. Extreme skill and dramatic acrobatics play out in this grand celebration of humanity, where the lines between movement, music, dance and theatrics are blurred and boundaries are pushed.

Latvian soprano Maija Kovaļevska joins Australian soloists mezzo-soprano Jacqueline Dark, tenor Paul O’Neill and bass Warwick Fyfe, as well as the mighty MSO Chorus for the final movement of the remarkable Ninth Symphony.

Beethoven was the first major composer to include chorus and soloists in a symphony, and he did so when almost completely deaf. Now one of the most recognisable melodies in classical music, Ode to Joy prompted thunderous applause at the conclusion of the symphony’s premiere in 1824. Unable to hear the reaction, Beethoven remained standing facing the orchestra at the end of the performance, and had to be tapped on the shoulder to see the overwhelming response.

This revolutionary world-first staging of Beethoven 9 by a circus company will be performed alongside a world premiere by revered Australian composer Deborah Cheetham AO, her Dutala (Star-Filled Sky), a work created in response to Beethoven’s Ninth.

Written for symphony orchestra and chorus, Cheetham draws on the soaring emotions and spirit of Beethoven’s work to complement the classic in original and innovative style.

Circa is one of the world’s leading performance companies – pioneering how extreme physicality can create powerful and moving performances. Since 2004, from their base in Brisbane, Australia, Circa have toured the world – performing in 40 countries to over a million people. In 2019 Circa performed at some of the world’s leading venues and festivals including the Philharmonie de Paris, Palau de la Musica, Barcelona and White Light Festival, New York City.

This event has SOLD OUT !

Experience a unique collaboration across cultures and art forms as Yorta Yorta composer Deborah Cheetham AO presents contemporary chamber music inspired by nine tapestries from the Embassy Tapestry Collection.

These tapestries have been designed by Indigenous artists and woven at the Australian Tapestry Workshop. Now, among the ATW looms, the acclaimed soprano will perform the first three compositions in her 'Woven Song' suite giving voice to the material works.

Performing with Cheetham's Short Black Opera will be special guests tabla master Pandit Ashis Sengupta (India), shakuhachi master, Reison Kuroda (Japan), mezzo soprano Angela Cortez (Singapore), Plexus (Australia) and Rubiks Collective (Australia).

These musical compositions speak to the tapestries Brook Andrew's Catching Breath, Nanyuma Napangati's Untitled (detail from Kiwirrkurra women's painting) and Lumpu Lumpu Country by Daisy Andrews.

Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to experience these collaborations with from leading musicians from India, Japan, Singapore and Australia. Tickets are limited.

This event has SOLD OUT !
Experience a unique collaboration across cultures and art forms as Yorta Yorta composer Deborah Cheetham AO presents contemporary chamber music inspired by nine tapestries from the Embassy Tapestry Collection.

These tapestries have been designed by Indigenous artists and woven at the Australian Tapestry Workshop. Now, among the ATW looms, the acclaimed soprano will perform the first three compositions in her 'Woven Song' suite giving voice to the material works.

Performing with Cheetham's Short Black Opera will be special guests tabla master Pandit Ashis Sengupta (India), shakuhachi master, Reison Kuroda (Japan), mezzo soprano Angela Cortez (Singapore), Plexus (Australia) and Rubiks Collective (Australia).

These musical compositions speak to the tapestries Brook Andrew's Catching Breath, Nanyuma Napangati's Untitled (detail from Kiwirrkurra women's painting) and Lumpu Lumpu Country by Daisy Andrews.

Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to experience these collaborations with from leading musicians from India, Japan, Singapore and Australia. Tickets are limited.

This event has SOLD OUT!

Experience a unique collaboration across cultures and art forms as Yorta Yorta composer Deborah Cheetham AO presents contemporary chamber music inspired by nine tapestries from the Embassy Tapestry Collection.

These tapestries have been designed by Indigenous artists and woven at the Australian Tapestry Workshop. Now, among the ATW looms, the acclaimed soprano will perform the first three compositions in her 'Woven Song' suite giving voice to the material works.

Performing with Cheetham's Short Black Opera will be special guests tabla master Pandit Ashis Sengupta (India), shakuhachi master, Reison Kuroda (Japan), mezzo soprano Angela Cortez (Singapore), Plexus (Australia) and Rubiks Collective (Australia).

These musical compositions speak to the tapestries Brook Andrew's Catching Breath, Nanyuma Napangati's Untitled (detail from Kiwirrkurra women's painting) and Lumpu Lumpu Country by Daisy Andrews.

Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to experience these collaborations with from leading musicians from India, Japan, Singapore and Australia. Tickets are limited.

AUSTRALIAN TAPESTRY WORKSHOP & SHORT BLACK OPERA PRESENT:

'WOVEN SONG' AUSTRALIAN LAUNCH

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Experience a unique collaboration across cultures and art forms as Yorta Yorta composer Deborah Cheetham AO presents contemporary chamber music inspired by nine tapestries from the Embassy Tapestry Collection.

These tapestries have been designed by Indigenous artists and woven at the Australian Tapestry Workshop. Now, among the ATW looms, the acclaimed soprano will perform the first three compositions in her 'Woven Song' series giving voice to the material works.

Performing with Cheetham's Short Black Opera will be special guests tabla master Pandit Ashis Sengupta (India), shakuhachi master, Reison Kuroda (Japan), mezzo soprano Angela Cortez (Singapore), Plexus (Australia) and Rubiks Collective (Australia).

These musical compositions speak to the tapestries Brook Andrew's Catching Breath, Nanyuma Napangati's Untitled (detail from Kiwirrkurra women's painting) and Lumpu Lumpu Country by Daisy Andrews.

Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to experience these collaborations with from leading musicians from India, Japan, Singapore and Australia. Tickets are limited.

This performance program is generously supported by the Besen Family Foundation, Creative Victoria, City of Port Phillip, Coppersmith Hotel, Elgee Park Wines and is proudly presented as part of Asia TOPA 2020. 

 

PERFORMANCES
Friday 14 February 6 PM
Saturday 15 February 2 PM, 6 PM
 
TICKETS 

General Admission $39 
Doors open half an hour before performance. 
Refreshments available.
Performance running time:
 50 mins

VENUE
Australian Tapestry Workshop
262-266 Park St
South Melbourne
Victoria 3205 Australia

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS
Limited accessibility. 
Please contact the ATW to discuss access before purchasing tickets. 

For further details 
contact@austapestry.com.au
+61 3 9699 7885

Dhungala Children’s Choir will be performing in the opening week of MPavilion in Melbourne.

DCC will perform music from Dhungala Choral Connection Songbook.

The University of Queensland School of Music is proud to present Eumeralla, a war requiem for peace.

Eumeralla, a war requiem for peace is a large scale composition for Indigenous and non-indigenous performers, sung entirely in the ancient dialects of the Gunditjmara people.

Original text by Deborah Cheetham AO expands on the structure of the traditional Requiem Mass, was translated into the Dhuawurd Wurrung and related dialects by Gunditjmara language custodian Vicki Couzens and Victorian based linguist Kris Eira.

"The name Eumeralla is unlikely to be among the theatres of war that you could name. The history of battles fought and the lives that were lost is almost unknown to anyone outside the Aboriginal community. It is more than 170 years since the last shots rang out in the country of the Gunditjmara but the land is not silent. The voices of those who lost their lives in defence of their country ring in your ears when you stand amongst the lava flow of south west country of Victoria. Unlike other theatres of war such as Anzac Cove and the Somme, where peace was declared and relationships restored with the Turks and Germans, no such peace was declared in the resistance wars, no such restoration. Whilst the Gunditjmara uphold the memory of their warriors slain, most Australians have been denied access to this history and denied resolution - and so the land remains haunted. Eumeralla was written in recognition of one of the most brutal resistance wars fought on this continent and is designed for non-Indigenous Choirs to perform along-side Indigenous musicians. It is my hope that this war requiem will help the spirits of those who fell - those who resisted and their aggressors, to find a lasting peace and that we their descendants might find our way to deeper understanding of the legacy of these battles."

In 2019, we are very pleased to announce we will be working with Jessica Hitchcock and Deborah Cheetham AO from Short Black Opera.

In The Boite’s 40th year and the International year of Indigenous Languages, the Boite Schools Chorus will be exploring the Dhungala Choral Connection Song Book. 

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This beautiful collection of songs features the experiences and languages of Aboriginal Children from around Australia. From Shepparton to Gunnedah, Grafton to Geelong from Portland to Broken Hill, Benalla to Bermagui and Dandenong, to Karijini National Park. Written and composed by Deborah Cheetham and Jessica Hitchcock through the Short Black Opera for Kids program, this valuable resource will reveal the beauty and complexity of Aboriginal languages through the powerful medium of song.

The Boite Schools Chorus in 2019 will begin with two concerts in Melbourne on Thursday 8th August  at Melbourne Town Hall, 1.00pm and 7.30pm.  Concerts in regional Victoria include Bendigo, Ballarat and Albury/Wodonga and will follow in late August and September. 

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Bringing two world-class performances to Darwin, the West Australian Ballet will leave the Darwin Entertainment Centre spellbound with a Gala of five short works and excerpts from their most-beloved performances.
The family-friendly shows includes the magic of The Nutcracker; the physically demanding Les Indomptés; humorous work Ballet 101; and the spectacular Le Corsaire.
Plus, to add the cherry on top is the ground-breaking Milnjiya, Milky Way – River of Stars. A work created in collaboration with the NT Dance Company, Yorta Yorta Soprano Deborah Cheetham and Miku Performing Arts from East Arnhem Land, and tells the First Nation Yolngu story about spirits moving to the River of Stars, the Milky Way. With a unique mix of ballet, opera, traditional Aboriginal dance and music, this highly acclaimed work is not to be missed.
TICKETS AND SHOW INFO
http://bit.ly/Milky-Way-2019
PLEASE NOTE
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AUTHORISED TICKETING AGENCIES
Darwin Entertainment Centre
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Dhungala Childrens Choir will be performing as part of this very special event in collaboration with RAAF band.

The annual Victorian Aboriginal Remembrance Service is a National Reconciliation Week event, honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service men and women. The ceremony runs for one hour and includes guest speakers, music and cultural elements, and a wreath laying at the Eternal Flame. Schools are welcome to stay after the service and explore the stories of Indigenous service people that are displayed throughout the Galleries of Remembrance.

 For more information about the service or to register your intention to attend, please contact us via email or phone direct on 03 9661 8139 .

Join Deborah Cheetham AO and Jessica Hitchcock as they guide you through the cultural stories and language pronounciation of each of these unique songs, suitable for primary and lower secondary school students. This workshop is a collabotation between Short Black Opera and The Boite Schools Chorus 2019.

Participants will recieve a copy of the Song Book and CD on the day.

Price for event will be $60 
Payment options for the event will be available on the day via Credit Card, Paypass or cash.

The day includes a 1hr lunch break.

Deborah Cheetham, Yorta Yorta woman, soprano, composer and educator has been a leader and pioneer in the Australian arts landscape for more than 25 years.

We are honored that Deborah will be returning to present the Opera in the Gorge with a WASO String Quartet, in the intimate and stunning setting of Kalamina Gorge - only a handful of people have the opportunity to experience this immersive performance. 

Deborah Cheetham established Short Black Opera as a national not-for-profit opera company devoted to the development of Indigenous singers. The following year she produced the premiere of her first opera Pecan Summer. This landmark work was Australia's first Indigenous opera and has been a vehicle for the development of a new generation of Indigenous opera singers.

Cheetham was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), for "distinguished service to the performing arts as an opera singer, composer and artistic director, to the development of Indigenous artists, and to innovation in performance".

The ancient song-line of Australia’s Indigenous people is brought to life by acclaimed Soprano, Composer and Artistic Director of Short Black Opera Deborah Cheetham, through a unique narrative recital and powerful commentary which focuses on themes of belonging and human rights.

With Australian Consulate-General, Mumbai and Avid Learning, we present Songs of Belonging – a special operatic performance featuring admired Australian and Indian performers, where indigenous aboriginal music comes together with classical western and contemporary Australian sounds along with Indian percussion.

This unique performance will be led by Cheetham, who will be accompanied by Pianist Toni Lalich, as she shares her unique life story and traces the journey she has embarked on to discover her sense of belonging.

Together with the music of legendary European composers such as Puccini, Catalani, Cilea, Dvorák, Strauss and Vaughn Williams, Cheetham will also be joined on stage by Tabla Master Pandit Sengupta and Contemporary Art Music Ensemble Rubiks Collective – one of Australia's most exciting new music ensembles, for the premiere of her latest composition Article 27, based on the 27th article of the UN Declaration of Human Rights and translated into the ancient language of the Pintubi people to create an evocative musical piece.

This production is presented as a part of Australia Fest, a festival celebrating Australia’s cultural diversity, creativity, and dynamism through major events across India.