Star Falling: Carolyn Sampson OBE and Joseph Middleton – Evening Recital

Star Falling is an immersive staged recital created by polymath Andy Staples, pianist Joseph Middleton and soprano Carolyn Sampson, bringing together music from nearly nine centuries in an atmospheric world of light, darkness, silence and wonder.

Inspired by Messiaen’s extraordinary Chants de terre et de ciel, the programme moves from the visionary music of Hildegard von Bingen through Crumb, Boulanger, Dutilleux and Messiaen, exploring states of being rather than telling a single story. In the evocative surroundings of Broderick Hall, lighting and projections by Andy Staples will transform the space around the performers, creating a visual landscape in which music, poetry and image become one.

At the heart of the evening is Messiaen’s deeply personal cycle, written to celebrate marriage, family, love and new life, before the programme journeys through grief, historical trauma, consolation and renewed wonder. The evening also looks firmly towards the future, with two world premières commissioned through the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Composers Programme, by Roderick Williams and Aníbal Vidal. From medieval chant to brand-new music, Star Falling is a journey into the infinite — an invitation to listen, look and experience these extraordinary works anew.