Swan Song

Head towards the cluster of lights among the trees to hear the Orchestra of Opera North in immersive surround sound, and experience a celebration of our bird life in music, in the grounds of one of Nottingham’s most ancient buildings.

Part of Light Night Nottingham 2020, this installation by Urban Projections and Opera North takes flight from Finnish composer Rautavaara’s Swans Migrating, in which the sound of whooper swans as they fly south combines with swelling orchestral melody. The slow orchestral crescendo rises out of their calls, growing louder and more dense as the entire ensemble joins in.

Since at least the Middle Ages, composers have created music that evokes a particular bird, mixed birdsong into their music, or followed the patterns of flight in melody. With the world’s bird populations facing extreme peril from climate change and habitat loss, Swan Song offers a unique tribute to our birds in light and sound.

Swan Song was originally produced by Urban Projections and Opera North for Light Night Leeds 2019.