LABYRINTH
2024
Libretto by Daniel Szesiong Todd.
Commissioned by Forest Collective.
Dedicated to Danaë Killian.
dur. 60”
Nominated for best new dramatic work at the 2025 Australian Art Music Awards.
dance-Opera-piano concerto
Roles
High Voice (Tenor) - Theseus
High Voice (Soprano) - Ariadne
Lower Voice (Mezzo Soprano/Counter Tenor/Baritone) - Daedelus
Piano soloist - Minotaur/Asterion
Alto Flute, doubling on Flute
Viola
Fixed Electronics
synopsis
Stone. Sweat. Fear.
From deep within – a low, strange moan.
This is a place of terror. Of sacrifice. Of reckoning.
This is the Labyrinth.
Through this immersive theatrical experience, you will descend into the labyrinth of Greek myth, witnessing first-hand the ordeal of Theseus, Ariadne and her half-brother, the Minotaur.
Evan J Lawson’s music and Daniel Szesiong Todd’s libretto confront themes of shame, isolation and redemption, while maverick Melbourne pianist Danaë Killian gives powerful voice to the work’s dramatically-embedded piano concerto. Ashley Dougan’s visceral, yet lyrical choreography brings a desperate humanity to this epic tale.
world premiere performance
February 6 - February 10, 2024
Presented by Forest Collective, Abbotsford Convent and Midsumma Festival
The Store, Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne, Australia
Theseus - Daniel Szesiong Todd
Ariadne - Teresa Ingrilli
Daedelus - S0daWater
Minotaur/Piano soloist - Danaë Killian
Dancers - Jesse Matthews & Ashley Dougan
Flutes - Kim Tan
Violin - Helen Bower
Composer & Sound Designer - Evan J Lawson
Choreographer & Dancer - Ashley Dougan
Costume Designer - Jane Noonan
Lighting Designer - Gabe Bethune
Photos by Suzanne Phoenix
Download the program
“Lawson’s haunting, impactful music and Szesiong Todd’s lucid and lyrical libretto are a complementary marriage. And the incorporation of pianist as Minotaur, whose ominous expression is sporadically heard but unseen until turning the corner into the final space, is an ingenious conceit. ”
“Although only about 40 minutes long, Labyrinth, composed by Evan J Lawson, with libretto by Daniel Szesiong Todd, packed a full range of energy and emotion into a new interpretation of the Greek tale of the Minotaur and his slaying at the hand of Theseus, with the assistance of Ariadne.”
“The work is filled with haunting, beautiful music and a collection of scenes that are mystical.”
2025 revised performance
January 31 - February 8, 2025
Presented by Forest Collective, Abbotsford Convent and Midsumma Festival
Magdalena Laundries and Industrial School, Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne, Australia
Theseus - Daniel Szesiong Todd
Ariadne - Teresa Ingrilli
Daedelus - Girl Whatever
Minotaur/Piano soloist - Danaë Killian
Dancers - Charlie Macarthur & Ashley Dougan
Flutes - Kim Tan
Viola - Alex Macdonald
Composer & Sound Designer - Evan J Lawson
Libretto - Daniel Szesiong Todd
Director - Cathy Hunt
Choreographer - Ashley Dougan
Costume Designer - Jane Noonan
Lighting Designer - Gabe Bethune
Photos by Pia Johnson.
read the program
“…intensely seductive, stirring and mercurial score for piano, flute and viola with hints of electronic sounds that add to tensions”
“Lawson and Szesiong Todd have a persuasive and engaging piece with Labyrinth, and, without doubt, there exists a case for its adaptation for any amount of weird and wonderful architectural spaces and global festivals.”
“This production expertly delivers an exquisite study and examination of a profound and sometimes dangerous emotional introspection.”
“It’s another big tick of the highest approval for a performing arts company that continues to engage and inspire its audience with the endless possibilities of what opera and music concerts can be.”
“...a complex and satisfying exploration of the nature and origins of shame, as well as the complexity of the human condition, especially when trapped in a maze with no means of escape. ”
“Numerous creative and performance elements combine to make this fabulous revised production of Labyrinth a highlight of the 2025 Midsumma Festival. Highly recommended.”