The Eye of the Storm is the third in a series of concerts on the four elements: earth, water, air and fire. It explores how air – from raging winds to gentle zephyrs – is depicted in music from the court of Louis XIV at Versailles. The concert incorporates the three storm scenes from Rameau’s opera, Hippolyte et Aricie, the tempests of Gilles’ Diligam te Domine and the Spirit-inspired winds of Delalande’s Veni Creator Spiritus. In the centre of the program – in the eye of the surrounding storms – we have a piece of utter stillness by Marc-Antoine Charpentier. The Choir of Newman College is accompanied by the strings of the widely acclaimed Melbourne Baroque Orchestra, performing on period instruments.

Note: I will be featuring as bass soloist singing the role of Thésée from Rameau’s opera, Hippolyte et Aricie.