Great Exhibitionists: Land Unknown

Lewis Murphy composer
Julien van Mellaerts baritone


This new song cycle, written by Scottish composer Lewis Murphy and sung by New Zealand baritone Julien van Mellaerts, explores cross-cultural relations and the essence of 'home' in today's world.

In the 1840s, New Zealand became a new colony of the British Empire and hundreds of British immigrants made the six to twelve month journey by boat in search of a better life. In 1858, the Dickie clan (Julien's ancestors) left Scotland for southern New Zealand. These songs, based on the words of Brian Turner, Robert Louis Stevenson and Captain James Cook, celebrate the connection that southern New Zealand and Scotland share to this day, and follow the physical and emotional voyage of those who travelled across the world in pursuit of a new beginning.

This event is part of Great Exhibitionists: the RCM’s cutting-edge series taking up the spirit of the 1951 Great Exhibition and curated entirely by students. To see all events visit www.rcm.ac.uk/greatexhibitionists


Booking opens at 10am on Wednesday 10 December. RCM Friends and Patrons have priority booking from Wednesday 3 December.