Ethel Smyth – Stolt och upprorisk
On International Women’s Day, we’ll hear songs, texts, and chamber music by Ethel Smyth in a storytelling performance about her life and music.
During the Pride Festival in summer 2024, the English composer Ethel Smyth was celebrated with chamber music and readings. The show was a success and is now presented again – on International Women’s Day.
Composer Ethel Smyth was a strong personality who stood out in Victorian England. She was openly lesbian and one of the leaders in the suffragette movement, which fought for women's suffrage, the right to vote in parliamentary and general elections. Ethel Smyth was appointed Dame of the British Empire in 1922, becoming the first female composer to receive such an honour. Smyth was also an author and wrote several books. There will also be readings from her entertaining memoirs.
Readings from Ethel Smyth’s entertaining memoirs are combined with songs and instrumental music. Among others, we will hear musicians from the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra together with alto Susanna Sundberg, who has appeared on many of the country's opera stages.
The script is written by Sophie Helsing, playwright and dramaturge.
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The music
Approximate times -
Songs, texts and chamber music by Ethel Smyth in a narrative performance about her life and music
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Ethel Smyth Overture to The Boatswain’s Mate arr Sergey Putnikov6 min
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Ethel Smyth Tanzlied op 4:13 min
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Ethel Smyth Mittagsruh’ op 4:32 min
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Ethel Smyth Nachtreiter op 4:42 min
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Ethel Smyth The Clown from Three Songs (1913) arr Milosz Krawczyk4 min
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Ethel Smyth La dance From Four Songs (1908) arr Milosz Krawczyk6 min
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Ethel Smyth Second Movement: Allegro grazioso from Sonata for violin and piano3 min
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Ethel Smyth Introduction from The Prison arr Sergey Putnikov5 min
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Ethel Smyth Possession From Three Songs (1913) arr Milosz Krawczyk5 min
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Ethel Smyth First Movement Allegro non tropp from Piano Trio in d minor5 min
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Ethel Smyth The March of the Women arr Felix Linsmeier3 min
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Participants
- Susanna Sundberg alto
- ..... violin
- Jannika Gustafsson violin
- Nicholas Shardlow viola
- Josep Castanyer Alonso cello
- Johan Ullén piano
- Sophie Helsing script