Programme Note In classical Greek, orgia is the word for ritual ceremony or sacrifice. Orgia, Op. 50 is a large work for two actors/narrators and 3 percussionists, and consists of two parts, played without pause. At the moment, only Part I has been completed. Part I is a setting of poem 63 by the Roman poet Catullus. It tells the myth of Attis. Maddened by the goddess Cybele, Attis rushes to Phrygia where he castrates himself in order to become Cybele's handmaid. On waking the next morning, he regains his sanity and regrets his actions. In a fit of anger, Cybele frees one of her lions from her chariot to madden Attis once more. This done, Attis returns to Cybele's shrine to be her handmaid for the rest of his life. It is primarily non-pitched percussion instruments which are used in Part I. The poem speaks of drums and cymbals and that was my cue. I have also incorporated the strange rhythm of the original Latin meter, a meter that exists in this poem only among the extant works of the Roman poets. Part II is a setting of the poem "Looking Back on a Conference Trip with Sister Williamina" by the Newfoundland poet John Steffler. Beginning on a rather light-hearted note, the poem takes a distinctly darker tone as the poet and Sister Williamina notice "a young man/whose face and hands had been mostly/burned away." The poem becomes a reflection on life and tragedy and humankind's perception of what does and what does not constitute beauty. For Part II the musical language is conveyed mostly via pitched percussion instruments (vibraphone, glockenspiel, marimba). Both parts of Orgia reflect the composer's exploration of the impact of events over which one has little or no control and the effect these events have on people's lives. It is in a fit of madness sent by a goddess that Attis castrates himself. The poet and Sister Williamina meet the young man in an encounter arranged by chance. In both cases, the protagonists must deal with these dark events and come to terms with them. It is intended that Orgia be presented out of doors with a minimal but effective staging. Both poems are steeped in vivid descriptions of nature: the seashore, clouds, mountains. The natural setting of an outdoor venue will enhance these aspects of the poems and the work.

The premiere performance of Orgia Part I: Attis at the Banff Centre for the Arts. In the foreground, actors Mark Christmann and John Ralston.