Pre-concert talks and performances

Julie Boden and Gordon Stewart Credit Edward Moss

Poet-in-Residence Julie Boden has been involved in a number of performances and pre-concert talks since beginning her residency at THSH.

Julie Boden’s first performance as Poet in Residence at Symphony Hall was at the Valentine’s Day Organ Concert in 2005 where she performed The Amorous Organ accompanied by organist Gordon Stewart.

In June 2005, before the English National Opera’s performance of Duke Bluebeard’s Castle at Symphony Hall, starring John Tomlinson and Sally Burgess, Julie organised fifteen of the then 21 women’s writers who had attended the Bluebeard’s Wives workshops to deliver a pre-concert talk in Hall 5 and a publication, Duke Bluebeard’s Castle: A selection of poetry inspired by the opera with libretto, was produced for this event. The event was supported by Poetry Central who were supported by the Arts Council of England. Poetry by these poets is published in Bluebeard’s Wives anthology (Heaventree Press, 2007). Following a number of events at Symphony Hall and the publication of the anthology, readings were conducted around the Midlands.

In December 2008 Julie Boden and Kathy Hinde, who had been commissioned to produce visuals to accompany the evening’s performance of Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time, invited Fiona Sampson to take part in the pre-concert talk. Fiona’s poem, Messiaen’s Piano and Julie’s poem, A Septet for the End of Time (part III) The Lovers were printed in the concert programme.

Julie joined Lyndon Jenkins in March 2009 to discuss Britten’s War Requiem and Wilfred Owen’s poetry in the pre-concert talk before the Royal Opera House Chorus and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House performance of Britten’s War Requiem at Symphony Hall. Towards the end of the talk Julie read her anti-war poem, Wasted Lives.

Click on the titles below if you would like to read these poems: