Bjork and ballet inspiration for Kiwi composer
Auckland-based composer Claire Cowan has her life surprisingly full of Wellington for the next few weeks.
Her group the Blackbird Ensemble are performing a homage to singer-songwriter Bjork in Wellington this week, and in November, Cowan, the first female composer commissioned to write a full-length ballet for the Royal New Zealand Ballet, will attend its premiere.
First up is the homage to Bjork, titled All is Full of Love. Even though it was first performed in 2017, it’s the first time the ensemble has brought it to the capital.
Cowan said the singer was ‘‘endlessly intriguing’’ and wrote the show to pay homage to Bjork when she turned 50.
‘‘I feel like her integrity is so very high. She’s always looking for new technology and new sounds and her range of influences is huge, so you never know what will come out.’’
Throughout the Icelandic singer’s career, her style has swung from pop and electronica to experimental and avant-garde.
Often she was inspired by the sweeping landscapes of her home country, something that stuck out for Cowan. She drew comparisons between Bjork’s view of the land and the way New Zealanders – particularly Ma¯ ori – held a similar perspective.
Alongside the music, Cowan and the ensemble members worked with lighting designers and costume designers to create a full theatre-like experience.
‘‘It’s more of a cross between a theatre show and a concert.’’
Once All Is Full of Love is wrapped up, Cowan will find herself back in Wellington for the RNZB production of Hansel and Gretel.
She worked for a year alongside choreographer Loughlan Prior composing the music for the ballet – a project she hasn’t tackled in this way before.
She’s written for dancers before, but she usually after the choreography was already planned. But for this ballet, the music came first and each precise moment within the notes must be mapped to a ballerina’s movement. With her varied background composing music from everything from television shows to the World of WearableArt, one of the main things she wanted to include in the score was a cinematic feel. Cowan has been keeping an eye on the rehearsals of the ballet, in the weeks leading up to its November 6 premiere.
Bjork: All is Full of Love is on October 17, 6.30pm at Shed 6. Tickets through Ticketmaster. The national tour of RNZB’s Hansel and Gretel starts in Wellington, November 6, 7.30pm at the Opera House. Tickets and further details on other tour locations through rnzb.org.