|
As a librettist/lyricist Tamsin has received a wide range of commissions from leading Arts organisations. These include:
'Open Port: We Turned On the Light' (2008) Composers: Orlando Gough and Jeremy Avis. Event to mark the close of Stavanger's year as European City of Culture. Original choral work for 40 local Norwegian choirs, 3 National Norwegian Choirs, The Shout, a brass band, a group of Norwegian lurs (wooden trumpets) and a helicopter. Incorporating a reorchestrated version of 'We Turned On the Light' by Orlando Gough and playwright Caryl Churchill, which was commissioned for BBC Proms 2006.
'Quest' (2008) 7th original musical devised and written by London Youth Theatre group DreamArts, performed at the Jeanetta Cochrane theatre, Aldwych, in August. Tamsin mentored the team of young people writing the lyrics, as well as supplying additional lyrics herself where required.
‘Alligator Train’ (2008) Composer, Orlando Gough. A commission from the Royal Opera House Education department, for an original contribution to their family concert ‘Music Myths and Mosters’. A singer and an 8-piece New Orleans-style jazz band (in the shape of a crocodile) transfer the urban myth of alligators lurking in the New York sewers to London’s Piccadilly Line.
‘The Ballad of Slippery Jack’ (2007) Composer, John Webb. An opera for 9-10 year olds, providing primary school children with the opportunity to work with professional singers, directors, musicians and repetiteurs from English National Opera. ‘Slippery Jack’ told the story of the notorious 18th century thief Jack Sheppard (the inspiration for Macheath in John Gay’s ‘Beggars’ Opera’) who escaped from Newgate four times in one year before perishing on the Tyburn gallows at the age of 22.
'We all really loved the Slippery Jack project. It is hard to pinpoint parts that we enjoyed most.
We were so caught up in the project that it was like a fantastic journey, where every corner
we turned presented us with new wonders, laughs and enjoyment.'
(Primary Teacher, Lambeth)
‘Mr. Purcell: His Ground’ (2006) Composer, David Knotts. An hour-long opera for 30 singers, tracing a day in the frenzied working life of the great 17th century London composer Henry Purcell. Commissioned for the 10th and final graduation show of ‘The Knack’ at English National Opera. Performed at the Clore Studio, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
‘Stand’ (2005) Composers Orlando Gough and Michael Henry. A commission for the Trafalgar Square Festival, August 2005, ‘Stand’ was written specifically for the anarchic 16-voice ‘unchoir’ The Shout. The theme was the nature and spirit of protest, inspired by the Square’s long and turbulent history of rallies and demonstrations. It was performed by the singers on the steps in front of the National Portrait Gallery, amplified to a level that would have gratified Motorhead, and caused all the buildings around the square to reverberate with the power of the song. ‘Stand’ was also performed at the BBC Proms 2006.
‘Lionhunt’ (2005) Composer, John Webb. An opera for 6-7 year olds, introducing young children to the concept of a theatre building and the different jobs that go on inside, through the device of looking for Brian the Lion who is lost backstage. Originally commissioned for a group of primary schools in Southwark, who came into the Coliseum Theatre building to do their performances. The show has already been revived twice, in 2006 and 2008, with groups of primary schools in the borough of Lambeth.
'If I could wave my magic wand, I would have this in every school in the country,
as it does the children so much good. They’ve put so much into it, and they are now so proud.'
( Teaching Assistant, Lambeth)
‘For the Public Good’ (2004) Composer, Orlando Gough. Commissioned work to mark the centenary and multi-million pound refurbishment of the London Coliseum theatre. A 45’ acapella piece for an amateur chorus of 500, 9 ENO soloists and a man in a gorilla suit
"Tamsin Collison’s libretto and Orlando Gough’s music were both nicely irreverent,
and Stephen Langridge’s production made full use of the Coli’s inbuilt theatricality.
There are those who will tell you that English National Opera has lost its way:
‘For the Public Good’ suggests otherwise." (Evening Standard)
‘Pierrot: A Biography’ (1999) Composer, Orlando Gough. Commissioned companion piece to Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire, for graduation double bill, The Knack at English National Opera. Performed at ENO Works, Shoreditch.
‘Pierrot Lunaire’ (1999) Composer, Schoenberg. New translation in collaboration with Mary King, for graduation double bill, The Knack at English National Opera. Performed at ENO Works, Shoreditch.
‘Man Wanted’ (1999) Founder member of cabaret duo ‘The Song, and the Short and the Tall’, devising, writing and performing the show ‘Man Wanted’ with leading British songwriter Charles Miller. A wry look at ‘The Arc of Love,’ detailing the musical trials of the unmateable and the undateable.
|
