A meditation on mortality…

Transience and Transcendence

Song of Longing is a dance theatre piece created and performed by Anne O’Keeffe with Karen Berger, Melissa Jones, Kate Middleweek and Dianne Reid. The work was made in collaboration with the cast, who participated in a process centred on improvisation.

Song of Longing explores the beauty and transience of life from a woman’s perspective. It depicts the journey of five women through time and seasons - from transition to transcendence, from isolation to interconnectedness. Song of Longing explores the quest for ‘enlightenment’, or awareness – initiated by the pain of suffering and the longing for clarity and inner peace. A dialogue between the fleeting and the eternal, the work acknowledges the intimate relationship between creativity and spirituality.

Engagement of the Senses

 Song of Longing integrates the elements of dance and unaccompanied singing. Traditional songs sourced from Spain, Bulgaria and Tibet create a vocal tapestry; supported by original compositions by Anne O’Keeffe and Karen Berger. Environmental sounds, such as birds, wind, water and fire bring the world of nature and the power of the elements into the space. The singing and sound design in Song of Longing create a timeless and universal landscape, drawing the audience into a world that is simultaneously personal and universal.

 Song of Longing is influenced by traditional cultures, where the sacred and the secular are inseparable and where art represents the unending quest for spiritual sustenance and inspiration. Song of Longing is intended as a ritual in which movement and music are medicine for the soul.

Photography by Romeo Viglino