“The Madness of Queen Charlotte” examines the mental illness of King George III of England through the eyes of his wife. The King’s illness tragically destroyed a long and loving marriage that was bonded by their many shared tastes – including their legendary patronage of music. This work uses contemporary poetry that deals with the theme of lunacy – a continuation in my pursuit of vocal repertoire to explore mysteries of “isolated” psyche and emotions. In the form of a mini music drama, “new” sounds and melodies are interlaced with quotations or references of “old” music. Inside piano techniques and vocal effects are used to instigate a coloristic surreal soundscape, portraying the journey of an understated historical character, Queen Charlotte, her struggle and a prelude to “madness”.

Originally scored for soprano, flute, viola, cello, and piano, this work was commissioned by the Toronto-based Talisker Players for their 2017 final season through a grant from the Ontario Arts Council, with text by Toronto writer Phoebe Tsang.