Noah Mosley - composer, conductor
Opera/Stage
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Aurora (2019)
premiered at Bury Court, revived at the Arcola, Grimeborn
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‘Mosley excels at open-hearted lyricism and large-scale ensembles’ Opera Magazine (Yehuda Shapiro)
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‘Talented young composer’ Sunday Telegraph (Rupert Christiansen, listing).
‘Mosley’s score is a thing of wonder’ MusicOMH (Sam Smith) *****
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‘Exuberant and exhilarating’ The Stage ****
‘The scoring itself is a freewheeling pleasure’ Bachtrack (Mark Valencia)
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‘Contemporary yet romantic; Mosley has a remarkable lyric talent’ Planet Hugill (Robert Hugill).
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‘It reaches real heights of beauty’ Plat to See (Owen Davies)
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Aurora is based on an Italian folk story set in the Dolomite mountains. The Princess of Doleda suffers from the terrible illness of the night, which also took her mother. Her overbearing but loving father, the King of Doleda, is desperate to help her. When he encounters a charismatic Wise Woman in the woods, the Princess’ journey of self-knowledge, spiritual awakening, sacrifice and love is set in motion. This powerful story deeply resonates with our modern times.
Aurora is a two act opera commissioned and premiered at Bury Court Opera and revived at the Arcola, Grimeborn.
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Duration - 140 mins
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Librettist - Elisabetta Campeti, based on an ancient Italian folk tale
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Cast - Aurora (Sop); Exiled Prince (Bar); Wild Woman (M); King (B-B); Mountain Witch (M/C-T); Owl/Prince (M/C-T); Courtiers and Spirits (Chorus, minimum 2.2.2.2), two step out roles from the chorus (B and M).
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Orchestration; Flute/Piccolo, Oboe/Cor Anglais, Clarinet/Bass Clarinet, Bassoon, Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Double Bass (section or one to a part).
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Premier Production Team
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Conductor/Composer - Noah Mosley, Libretto - Elisabetta Campeti, Director - Aylin Bozok, Designer - Holly Pigott, Lighting Designer - Ben Pickersgill
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Premier Cast
Aurora - Isolde Roxby, Prince - Dominic Bowe, Wild Woman - Katherine Aitken, Mountain Witch - Jean-Max Lattemann Prince /Owl - Magid El Bushra, Chorus Emily Garland, Zerrin Karsli, Ingunn Hrafnkelsdottir, Rachael Cox, Elspeth Marrow, Olivia Martin, Phil Clieve, John Holland-Avery, Jack Lawrence-Jones, Matthew Thistleton
Premier Orchestra
Flute/Piccolo Julie Groves, Oboe/Cor Anglais Laura Campbell, Clarinet/Bass Clarinet Ozlem Celik, Bassoon James Fischer, Trumpet Sarah Campbell, Horn Brendan Parravicini, Trombone Jamie Pimenta, Violin 1 Roma Tic, Karolina Sut, Cara Laskaris, Violin 2 Christopher Rutland, Roman Litwnyniw, Marike Kruup, Viola, Francis Gallagher, Katie de Campos, Cello Joe Davies, Double Bass Lewis Reid.
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Mad King Suibhne (2017)
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premiered at Bury Court, revived at the Arcola, Grimeborn
'Finely crafted... shades of Pelléas... Mosley's score is varied, lively and energised: rich in instrumental colour from a small ensemble... divine upper string writing... like a modern Purcell... exquisite vocal writing' Opera Now (Roderick Dunnett), 4/5, print April 2017
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'Mosley... has a gift for melody... the craftsmanship was always sensitive and the orchestration skilful... the six singers, each vocally distinctive, were given lines they could really bring to life' Opera Magazine (Yehuda Shapiro), print March 2017
'The music can convey melancholy and yearning alongside joy, wonder and a sense of the beauty of nature' music OMH, 4/5, (Sam Smith), March 2017
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'tremendously enjoyable and accomplished... what a delightful operatic experience' Rupert Christiansen, @rupechri, March 2017
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'Insanely good... a magical tone... It had a hauntingly beautiful score... ' Farnham Herald, March 2017, print
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'The audience was held spellbound' Planet Hugill (Robert Hugill)
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A one act opera commissioned for Bury Court Opera's 10th anniversary
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Duration - 82 mins
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Librettist - Ivo Mosley, based on the ancient tale
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Cast - Suibhne, a young king (Bar); Eorann, his wife (Sop); Witch (M); Lynschecan, Suibhne's foster brother (B-B); Woman at the Well and Lady, Eorann's assistant (Sop); Aillil, a warrior, Gauire and Mad Man (T); Blackbird (flute); Stag (bass clarinet, doubling clarinet when off-stage in the band). Off-stage Mad Voices played by voices not on stage, or an adapted version for 6 female voices on-stage (3 sops, 3 mezzos).
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Instrumentation; fl (when not on stage as Blackbird), Cl doubling B. Cl (when not on stage as Stag), Hn, Bn, Hp, vn1, vn2, va, vc, db (single strings).
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First Performance - Production Team
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Director - Ella Marchment: Conductor - Noah Mosley: Movement Director - Simeon John-Wake: Designer - Holly Piggot: Lighting Designer - Ben Pickersgill
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Assistant Director - Zara Fyfe: Stage Manager - Sava Bell: Costume Supervisor - Kate Flanagan: Production Manager - Ian Taylor
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First Performance - Cast
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Suibhne - Dominic Bowe: Eorann - Isolde Roxby: Witch - Laura Woods: Lynschecan - Henry Grant Kerswell: Woman at the Well and Lady - Raphaela Papadakis: Aillil, Gauire and Mad Man - Edward Hughes
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Ensemble; Jennifer Parker, Kathleen Greene, Madeleine Joyce, Olivia Bell, Yara Zeitoun, Anne Mclachlan
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6 short pieces for string quintet (2017)
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Six short pieces for string quintet.
Duration - 6
Instrumentation - vln1, vln2, va, vlc, db
I was commissioned to write 6 short pieces for the International Opera Awards to be played by members of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra as award winners walked up to the podium on the Coliseum stage. I wrote 4 musical jokes and 2 original celebratory pieces. You can here one of the musical jokes here.
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July 20th, 1944 (2015)
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'The powerful last scene deals with the aftermath with a big duet for the lead conspirator's wife and the commandant of the prison where she is incarcerated' Planet Hugill (Robert Hugill), October 2015
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An opera in one part
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Duration - 25
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Librettist - Ivo Mosley
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Cast - Inge (Sop); Commandant (T/Mez); Ilse (Sop); Adam von Trott (Bar)
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Instrumentation - cl, vln, vlc, pf
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First Performance with Helios Collective at the Bussey Building, Peckham
Director - Ella Marchment: Conductor - Noah Mosley: Inge - Isolde Roxby: Commandant - Emily Kyte: Ilse - Fae Evelyn: Adam von Trott - Tom Asher
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A Last Farewell (2014/15)
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'Mosley’s musical writing has elegant flair.... It’s impressive stuff, played with great sincerity by the singers and musicians of Helios Collective, and a climactic aria at the end silences the crowd...' Fringe Opera (Francesca Wickers), January 2015
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An opera in one part
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Duration - 28
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Librettist - Ivo Mosley
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Cast - Adam von Trott (Bar); Inge (Sop); Kasper (B-B); Helmut (T); Rosa (Sop)
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Instrumentation - fl, cl, bn, tpt, vln, vln, vla, vlc, db, pf
First Performance with Helios Collective at the Bussey Building, Peckham
Director - Ella Marchment: Adam von Trott - Alex Jones: Inge - Isolde Roxby: Kasper - Mat Palmer: Helmut - James Way: Rosa - Fiona Hymns
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Jim and Matilda (2014)
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Two short children operas to be performed by children, Jim, Who ran away from his nurse and was eaten by a Lion and Matilda, Who told lies and was burned to death
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Duration - 15 total
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Librettist - Hilaire Belloc
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Cast - 2 solo children singers/narrators, children's chorus also acting the narration. Variable number of acting roles including Jim, Matilda, the truthful aunt and the hungry lion.
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Instrumentation - pf (simple part)
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First performance at the Woodbrock International Summer Academy, Wexford, Ireland
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A Midsummer Night's Dream (2010)
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A setting of Puck's song and incidental music for Shakespeare's play
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Playwright/Lyricist - William Shakespeare
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Cast - Puck (mez/sop/t)
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Instrumentation - vn1, vn2, vla, vlc, db
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Always Mine (2009)
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A play with instrumental music and movement
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Duration - 80
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Playwright - Penny Gunter
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Instrumentation - Flue and Piano
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First performance at Exeter Barnfield Theater
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Arrangements
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Three piano arrangements and reflections of extracts from Mad King Suibhne.
Duration: 10
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Listen to two of them here and here
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Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen arranged for male a capella group (T1, T2, Bar1, Bar2, B1, B2). In the annual Varsity Vocals International Championship of Colliegiate A Cappella it won best arrangement, being performed by All the King's Men in the New York Town Hall.
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Duration: 4
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Listen to it here and watch here
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Dreams of vengeance, soprano aria from Szymanovski's King Roger arranged for chamber ensemble (fl, eh, hp, pf, vn1, vn2, vla, vlc, db), soprano and one to a part female backing vocals (sop and mez).
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Duration: 3:16
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Watch here