James Fraser Joins The Marais Project For Master and Pupil
To open The Marais Project’s 17th season Marais Project Director, Jenny Eriksson, has collaborated with leading young Australian actor, writer and film maker, James Fraser (The Water Diviner, The Devil’s Playground and The Turning) to create Master and Pupil, a new musical-theatrical event. Together, they have formulated a series of penetrating and moving reflections in words and music, on the famous French novel and film Tous les matins du monde. Jenny has selected some of her favourite Marais works while James has developed a series of acted interludes. Also performing in the programme are soprano Belinda Montgomery, Tommie Andersson on theorbo and Catherine Upex joining Jennifer Eriksson on viola da gamba.
Tous les matins du monde (All the mornings of the world) which starred the legendary actor Gérard Depardieu and featured virtuoso viola da gambist Jordi Savall on the sound track, is an acutely sensitive, fictional exploration of the relationship between two great artists, Marin Marais, after whom The Marais Project is named, and his distinguished mentor, Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe. Sainte-Colombe was a composer, teacher and innovator without peer while Marais became known as perhaps the greatest viola da gambist of all time. Adding spice to the mix was a love triangle between Sainte-Colombe’s two musician daughters and the ambitious Marais.
The tension between master and student is a complex and fascinating one as the upcoming generation learns from, and sometimes pits themselves against, the established leaders of their field.
Says Jenny, “I have known James since he was at school and have watched his acting and film work develop at a rapid pace working, as he does, with industry figures such as Russell Crowe. It’s been a privilege to have him make some of our most loved Marais Project short films and to now perform with him.” Fraser agrees: “I knew little about the viol until I started doing music videos for Jenny. ‘All the mornings of the world’ is an unusual and remarkable book and I’ve enjoyed going back in time to make sense of it and the world Marais inhabited”.
This event is part of the Independent Theatre’s “Prelude in T” concert series. Afternoon tea is served from 2:30 as a prelude to the concert.
Tickets: $45/30. Afternoon tea is included in the ticket price.
Click here to book or call (02) 9955 3000
