Various
Australian Premiere
SEVEN
SONGS
TO LEAVE
BEHIND
Sinead O’Connor
John Cale
Meshell Ndegeocello
Rickie Lee Jones
Gurrumul Yunupingu
The Black Arm Band
Orchestra Victoria
8
Each artist sings…
their first song
one from master poet and
songwriter Leonard Cohen
a song to share
a song they covet – the
one, above all others, they
wish they had written
two songs of their own
and one for the end of days
... a song to leave behind.
Join Sinead O’Connor, John Cale,
Meshell Ndegeocello, Rickie Lee
Jones, Gurrumul Yunupingu, The
Black Arm Band’s Leah Flanagan,
Shellie Morris, Dan Sultan and
Ursula Yovich and more to farewell
the Festival with the international
musical collaboration of the year
The Festival asked some of the world’s finest
singers to reflect on our theme of spirituality
and mortality with the question: ‘Which seven
songs would you leave behind?’ The result is this
unforgettable night of music.
Seven Songs to Leave Behind features an
incredible line-up of extraordinary voices brought
together for the first time to celebrate the power
of song.
Sinead O’Connor, recognised worldwide
for her astonishing voice and songs, has been
making music, rejecting stereotypes and defying
expectations for a quarter of a century.
John Cale legendary founding member of The
Velvet Underground, acclaimed composer and
one of the most influential and thought-provoking
musicians of all time.
Meshell Ndegeocello, prolific songwriter and
fearsome bassist, has had ten Grammy Award
nominations during a stellar career traversing
musical boundaries and defying categorisation.
Rickie Lee Jones highly influential, Grammy
Award-winning, multi-million selling US singersongwriter and producer who, over the course
of a three-decade career, has performed and
recorded in a variety of musical styles including
rock, R & B, blues, pop, soul and jazz and has
influenced an entire generation of female singers.
Gurrumul Yunupingu award-winning
Indigenous Australian artist who will be familiar
to Festival audiences from his previous sold out
and critically acclaimed appearances.
The Black Arm Band Melbourne Festival
favourites, the multi award-winning Black Arm
Band featuring Leah Flanagan, Shellie Morris,
Dan Sultan and Ursula Yovich have taken
audiences around the world by storm since their
Festival debut in 2006.
In a format of entwined concerts, over more
than three hours, these artists each share highly
personal musical essays of seven classic songs
that hold special meaning to them: music that
comes from the heart, the songs that inspire
them and haunt them and the music they covet.
Joining the singers alongside Orchestra Victoria
is a handpicked band of Australia’s finest
instrumentalists.
Seven Songs to Leave Behind is a spellbinding
concert embracing humanity, mortality and
spirituality, and a once in a lifetime celebration of
what musicians leave behind for us all.
Melbourne Festival reserves the right to vary the advertised program and
to add, withdraw or substitute artists where necessary. No refunds for lineup
changes will be offered.
Concept and Direction Steven Richardson
Musical Supervision Eugene Ball,
Iain Grandage
Orchestra Victoria Conducted by
Benjamin Northey
Additional Vocal Arrangements Lou Bennett
Sound Design John O'Donnell
Event Information
the Arts Centre, Sidney Myer Music Bowl
For conditions of entry please refer to
www.melbournefestival.com.au
Sat 23 Oct at 7.30pm
Gates open 6.30pm
3hr plus intervals
A Reserve Full............................................. $110
A Reserve Groups (8+).................................$99
A Reserve Concession............................. $82.50
General Admission Full.................................$75
General Admission Concession............... $56.25
Student (General Admission).........................$25
the Arts Centre 1300 182 183
www.theartscentre.com.au
Save up to 20%. See page 72 for details.
To book tickets for this event as part of a
discount package only
Ticketmaster 1300 723 038
www.melbournefestival.com.au
Image: (background) Neil Krug
Supported by
9