Cantata
For soprano, mezzo-soprano, baritone, narrator, church pipe organ, percussion and strings, this cantata was composed between 2005 – 2007 and is made up of 5 scenes and an epilogue. Inspired by Walter de la Mare’s poem The Listeners, on which the first scene and epilogue are based, Lydia collaborated with her friend and writer Jen Syrkiewicz, who added 4 more scenes. The English texts by Walter de la Mare and Jen are narrated. The Latin text – written by Lydia – is sung by the soprano, mezzo-soprano and baritone voices, which collectively represent the phantom listeners. In striving to achieve an eerie and mysterious effect in keeping with the words, the piece makes use of parallel organum and low register strings as well as chanting and selective use of percussion and organ.