Soliloquy

‘…Partway through the performance and sitting very still in my seat (as a good classical music-goer does), I realised the limitations of using just my ears to experience the concert. The onstage invitation to participate felt inspiring, freeing and — dare I say — fun.’ (ABC, reviewing the performance at Sydney Festival, 2024)

Soliloquy is a radical re-invention of a solo recital. It subverts the hierarchy of traditional concert music presentation by inviting 40 untrained participants to share a stage with a virtuoso musician and a professional contemporary dancer.

In a time in history where we need urgently to reimagine our relationship to the past and to one another, Soliloquy emerges from listening. Soliloquy embeds a chorus of untrained participants in the performance of Georg Philipp Telemann’s Twelve Fantasias for Solo Flute. The participants meet and rehearse only on the afternoon of the show — given simple directions, they become a living part of the music, creating a participatory music-dance ritual.

Created by Genevieve Lacey (concept, recorder) with Gideon Obarzanek (director-choreographer), Stephanie Lake (dance, movement director), Niklas Pajanti (light), Jim Atkins/Bob Scott (sound), Harriet Oxley (costume), Paul Lim at Additive (production), Michaela Coventry (producer), Arts & Parts (international producer), Soliloquy premiered 2018, has been cited as a highlight of the 2024 Sydney Festival, and is available for performances worldwide.

Watch the trailer

Listen to Genevieve Lacey talking about Soliloquy on ABC Radio National

Soliloquy