ANAM at Recital Centre

Brett Dean: in conversation

Interview by Miranda Cass ANAM Marketing Coordinator

As ANAM’s former Artistic Director, what do you most look forward to about returning to ANAM’s home at the South Melbourne Town Hall? Once you’ve been a part of the ANAM family, to return always feels like coming home. Now I know that might sound like an artist- interview cliché but it’s really true. You only need to look at the vast array of returning national and international artists that have maintained ongoing relationships with ANAM over many years, even decades, to see it’s not mere Between the , conducting The only work I haven’t conducted Finally, what would you say marketing! To be part of the very and composing, what are before is Georges Lentz’s to encourage someone to see particular ANAM vibe again is you dedicating most of extraordinary and mesmerising the ANAM Orchestra perform what builds these lasting bonds your time to now? (Or do all Jerusalem (after Blake), on 9 November? and is what I’m most looking three roles intertwine?) here receiving its second Look, I’m a tad biased of forward to, with the wonderful mix Proportionally, I spend most performance ever in Australia. course, being one of the four amongst its musicians of curiosity, of my time composing however composers, but I have to say wonder, skill and ambition. all three disciplines are constant After its world premiere in the UK this is a very special program companions and cross-pollinating in 2017 and its Australian premiere of new music. It’s evocative, Earlier this year, you were invited in character. I simply can’t at the Festival earlier imaginative and sensuous, to be a keynote speaker to imagine only composing without this year, your Hamlet opera has yet also highly dramatic and welcome the new and returning performing, or vice-versa. As a taken the musical world by storm. darkly haunting. And how often musicians to Week One at ANAM. composer I find it incredibly helpful Can you tell us more about the do we get to immerse ourselves During this talk, you encouraged to have a hands-on knowledge of particular piece that the ANAM in an entire evening of Australian the musicians to open their minds the act of performing. Similarly, I Orchestra will perform with orchestral music? I do hope people to the diverse options that are think all performers should at least Lorina Gore and Topi Lehtipuu? embrace this rare opportunity, available for musicians and you ‘have a crack’ at composing, to From Melodious Lay is a which should also prove a great reflected on when you were a experience first-hand what musical 25-minute suite of music from vehicle to show the versatility violist in the challenges and conundrums arise, my Hamlet opera, focusing in and thrilling power of ANAM’s Orchestra but devoted your what decisions need to be made particular on the nature of the wonderful orchestra together spare time to improvising. It was and how composers make them. relationship between Hamlet with two stellar vocal soloists. an inspiring part of your talk It can only help to inform and and Ophelia. Ostensibly Lorina and it offered a great insight inspire the art of interpreting sings Ophelia and Topi is Hamlet, into how you shaped your life music. And it just might become though not exclusively, as the two and career. Can you briefly your main gig! vocal lines also explore views on repeat it here for our readers? this relationship as expressed CELEBRATING My early years in the Berlin You’re known as an advocate by other major characters in the BRETT DEAN Philharmonic were characterised for Australian music and we’re play: Hamlet’s mother Gertrude Friday 9 November 7.30pm by discovery. That meant, in the delighted to have you conduct and Ophelia’s father Polonius, for first instance, a crash-course in the four Australian works (including example. It’s highly dramatic stuff! MEALE Clouds Now and Then extensive repertoire of Germany’s one of your own) with the ANAM B DEAN From Melodious Lay leading ‘Kultur-orchester’ and lots Orchestra in November. Can you What’s next for your Hamlet? (A Hamlet Diffraction) of . But from about describe how the program for And what else is coming ILLEAN Land’s End 1988 onwards it also meant this concert was formed? up for you? LENTZ Jerusalem (after Blake) ‘after-dark’ improvising sessions These four orchestral scores I’m very excited to say that with the marvellously versatile are all particularly dear to me as Hamlet is scheduled for more Lorina Gore soprano Sydney musician, Simon Hunt. both performer and composer. performances in Europe and Topi Lehtipuu tenor Simon was just about to achieve The works of Richard Meale, the United States in the coming Brett Dean conductor fame/notoriety as Pauline Georges Lentz and Lisa Illean have few years. Following the Australian ANAM Orchestra Pantsdown, the irreverent, featured in my programs before, premiere in Adelaide last March dizzyingly articulate ‘caricature/ most recently in an all-Australian there are currently no future plans Venue Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, nemesis’ of at-the-time-newly- studio concert I conducted with the for further performances here Melbourne Recital Centre elected One Nation leader, BBC Symphony Orchestra in their in Australia however I really do Tickets Full $50 Sen/Con $40 Pauline Hanson. So, after playing London home in Maida Vale. It was hope that Melbourne audiences Bookings anam.com.au a Bruckner Symphony at 8pm in on that occasion that I experienced might get to see the entire opera or 03 9645 7911 the Philharmonie for example, how well these composers’ works one day. In the meantime I’m Presented in partnership with I would often meet up with Simon spoke or sang to one another, working on other new (and slightly Melbourne Recital Centre and head to the bohemian even though they display a great smaller!) projects: a new string Kreuzberg district of West Berlin diversity of compositional voices quartet for the Doric Quartet to Brett Dean’s ANAM residency is generously supported by to challenge myself to post- and styles. Meale’s Clouds Now and be premiered by them on their first Kerry Landman philharmonic improv sessions Then is a modern Australian classic national Musica Viva tour next featuring viola, piano-frame, that displays his sophisticated, year, and I’ll also be presenting a The 2018 ANAM at Melbourne sampler and any number of other cosmopolitan ear for sonorities. new work of mine with the ACO in Recital Centre series is generously supported by Loris Orthwein noise-makers. Simon’s adventurous And I commissioned Lisa Illean’s 2019; a mini double- spirit and encouragement beautifully subtle Land’s End as which is closely linked to Bach’s eventually led me to begin writing part of my recent residency with Brandenburg Concerto no. 6. my first notated compositions. the Sydney Symphony.