EIF 26: Dunedin Consort - Passion of Mary Magdalene

The acclaimed Baroque ensemble performs International Festival co-commission, Passion of Mary Magdalene by Tansy Davies.

Drawing on non-canonical gospels, ancient texts and poetry by Ruth Fainlight, this fascinating new work by Tansy Davies brings a fresh perspective to historically repressed voices. BBC Radio 3’s Kate Molleson has described Davies as a composer who ‘connects with body, spirituality and political convictions’. This bracing approach to both musical language and subject matter shapes her new dramatic work.  

An Edinburgh International Festival co-commission with the Barbican, Passion of Mary Magdelene was written specially for Dunedin Consort. It reimagines the story of the Passion of Christ, casting Mary as a complex spiritual leader and filtering the musical style of the Baroque through Davies’s thoroughly modern idiom.  

Baroque specialist John Butt conducts the ensemble, known for ‘ebullient flourishes of melody and technique’ (The Times). Singing the title role, soprano Anna Dennis is an award-winning singer noted for her serene and intuitive performances of both Baroque and modern music. 

Presented by Edinburgh International Festival