On 9 July 2021, the London Sinfonietta made history, performing the first classical music concert in the UK to be powered entirely by specially-adapted bicycles.
Laura Bowler's Houses Slide, a London Sinfonietta commission, addresses the most serious issue of our generation, the climate emergency, through the story of one woman's intimate psychological journey to figure out her response to the climate crisis, from an initial depressing realisation of the gravity of the issue, through to her refusal to be overwhelmed and decision to take positive action. With a text created by Cordelia Lynn using submissions from members of the public, this ground-breaking concert presentation conceived and directed by Katie Mitchell was an industry-first, and even involved the soloist, Jessica Aszodi, performing her part from atop one of the 17 onstage bicycles.
Laura Bowler Houses Slide (2021)
Jessica Aszodi mezzo soprano
Sian Edwards conductor
Katie Mitchell director
Cordelia Lynn text
Colin Tonks creative technical director
Caro Russell art director
RNSS Ltd sound
Tony Simpson lighting designer
Matt Fairclough live electronics
London Sinfonietta
Supported by Cockayne – Grants for the Arts, the London Community Foundation and The RVW Trust, and presented with the friendly support of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation
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Published: 19 Apr 2022
