Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch was recently commissioned by Shadwell Opera to create a new piece which mixes field recordings, 5 opera singers and Blackheath Halls’ singers.

The primary inspiration behind ‘Congregation’ is the Romani pilgrimage taking place at the Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. The traditionally nomadic people gather in a small village in the south of France to worship their Saint and patroness, the Black Sara, as well as to reunite and nurture their identity and culture. It utilises binaural technology, field recordings, body percussions and voices to explore the physical and emotional sensations generated by communal ecstatic and charismatic religious practices, contrasting overwhelming chaos with the release of the sublime.

The 7-minute piece is available via Bandcamp. All you need is headphones and space to listen!