‘Speechless’ was awarded a 2020 Australian Art Music Award for Best New Work, in the dramatic category. Presented at an online award ceremony, panellists described the work as “unflinchingly original on every level”.
Read More
"Its avant-garde style, heavy emotional impact, and difficult subject matter challenge audiences to not only observe some heavily topical sequences, but also interpret a great deal of meaning from a wordless vocal score that disrupts conventional expectations of words and melody. "
Read More
Working toward our opening night in less than a week. Directing and composing - realising what a large project it is!
Read More
With some free time thanks to the end of year festivities, I have been able to start thinking about what Speechless will look like. I know how it will sound.
Read More
Cat's new opera Speechless will premiere at the Perth Festival from February 26 - March 3 in 2019. Speechless is a personal response to the 2014 Human Rights Commission report 'The Forgotten Children: National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention'.
Read More
The Speechless blog, compiled by videographer Deborah May, is now live. There are interviews with participants, excerpts of the showings, rehearsals as well as detailed information about the works synopsis, the crew and more.
Read More
“a major new operatic work... a personal statement and a highly successful musical innovation” Chris Reid, RealTime, 23 August.
Read More
I am writing this the day after the last of two performances that showed the work done on the opera in the last 10 or so days. Its fair to say I am exhausted, but ecstatic.
Read More
It’s hard to believe that a whole week has gone by but it has. Yesterday, for the first time, the full Australian Bass Orchestra came together, and the sectionals look place.
Read More
Today was the first 'read' with our four wonderful soloists. Each one brings something very special to the project - stylistically, personally and collaboratively.
Read More
Whilst I have been working on this project since early 2014, the first draft is now complete and a workshop progress has began. Thanks to the support of Tura new music in Perth, and Vitalstatistix in Adelaide, the work is being further developed over two weeks, resulting in two showings at the end of July.
Read More