Work

Ngapa William Cooper : a song cycle for two voices and ensemble

by Lou Bennett, Lior and Nigel Westlake (2023)

Work Overview

Ngapa William Cooper explores the strength and compassion of Yorta Yorta activist Uncle William Cooper. In 1938, Cooper led the Australian Aborigines' League through the streets of Melbourne in the only non-Jewish protest worldwide against the events of Kristallnacht in Nazi Germany. Using English and Yorta Yorta language, it is a celebration of a man who left behind a 'legacy of resistance, solidarity and empathy'.

Work Details

Year: 2023

Instrumentation: Tenor voice, alto voice, piano, 2 violins, viola, cello, bass, percussion.

Duration: 37 min.

Difficulty: Advanced

Contents note: I. Exile -- II. The News -- III. The Silence -- IV. Yakapna - Nuk -- V. The Meeting -- VI. The Protest -- VII. At The End Of My Days.

Commission note: Commissioned by Ulrike Klein AO and Adelaide Festival, in association with UKARIA and Finding Our Voice, with support from the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund – an Australian Government initiative.

Subjects

Performances of this work

12 Sep 2024: at Camerata, Lou Bennett & Lior: Ngapa William Cooper (Toowoomba) (Empire Theatre (Toowoomba)). Featuring Lou Bennett, Camerata - Queensland's Chamber Orchestra, Lior.

7 Sep 2024: at Camerata, Lou Bennett & Lior: Ngapa William Cooper (Brisbane)) (QPAC Concert Hall). Featuring Camerata - Queensland's Chamber Orchestra, Lou Bennett, Lior.

5 Mar 23: UKARIA Cultural Centre, Peramangk Country, SA. Featuring Lou Bennett, Australian String Quartet, Lior.

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