The Stories And Songs Of Ned Rorem Come To Life In LOVE, ROREM at fortyfivedownstairs

From the extravagances of 1950s Paris, to the devastation of New York in the 80s and 90s, composer and diarist Ned Rorem captured the essence of what it meant to be gay, an artist and in love. For the first time, his words and his music are brought together in this stunning production.Presented as part of Midsumma Festival at the beloved Melbourne gallery and performance space fortyfivedownstairs, Belinda Hanne Reid: Love, Rorem is an intimate, compelling production, centred around the music and writings of American composer Ned Rorem. A living legend, Rorem is considered in classical music circles internationally as being one of the twentieth-century's greatest composers. Time Magazine labelled him "the world's best composer of art songs", and his music has won numerous awards, including a Pulitzer Prize and a Grammy. In addition to his music, his work as a writer and diarist also gained him great notoriety. Rorem's frank and unashamed descriptions of his life as a gay man (at time when such issues were considered extraordinarily taboo) were considered scandalous throughout Europe and the US. Through his at times charming, at times naive and at times exhibitionist honesty, he became as The New Yorker described in 2003 "a pioneer for modern gay culture".

Love, Rorem is the first project of its kind, bringing together his words and music in an intimate, theatrical performance, and includes several Australian premieres of his songs.

The show is written, produced and performed by the critically lauded, versatile Australian mezzo-soprano and actor Belinda Hanne Reid, (Boy From Oz, Brigadoon). She is accompanied on piano by award winning, internationally-acclaimed pianist Coady Green, currently on the performance staff of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne.

Presented over two nights only in the unique intimacy of Melbourne's beloved gallery and performance space fortyfivedownstairs (5-6 Feb 2020), this world-premiere performance, and debut collaboration between Reid and Green, is definitely one to book early for, as tickets are sure to sell out.

Tickets: https://midsumma.org.au/whats-on/events/belinda-hanne-reid-love-rorem/
https://www.fortyfivedownstairs.com/wp2016/tickets/

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