John Duggan

Matilda was commissioned by the Oxford-Grenoble Association (Alliance Grenoble-Oxford) to celebrate 20 years of twinning between these two historic towns. The piece is scored for choir and piccolo trumpet and is a setting of a poem by celebrated Oxford artist Helen Ganly. The poem (translated into French) recounts the story of the Empress Matilda – daughter of Henry I and mother of Henry II – who was beseiged in Oxford in 1142 and made a dramatic escape through the winter snow, concealed under a white cloak.

The first two performances will be in France:

Saturday 25 October 20.30 Salle Olivier Messiaen, Grenoble

Sunday 26 October 17.00 Eglise St Pierre, Voiron

There will be an open rehearsal:

Sunday 19 October, 1–1.30pm at St Albans Hall, Charles Street, Oxford