A new narrative by Perth Symphony Orchestra will feature Spanish Benedictine Bishop Rosendo Salvado.
Perth Symphony Orchestra Creative Director Fiona Campbell AO spoke with The Record this week, encouraging Perth Catholics to experience this once in a lifetime opportunity.
The Bishop of the Bush is part of the WA Stories chamber music series set to redefine the concert experience for the 21st century audience.
“It’s an immersive experience,” Ms Campbell explained, “and looks at some very interesting parts of Bishop Salvado’s life, including when the Benedictines were driven out of Spain,” she said.
The concerts will take place Friday 16 and Saturday 17 August at 7pm at the Hacket Hall at the WA Museum, Perth Cultural Centre.
Bishop Salvado, continued Ms Campbell, was very ahead of his time, was a very compassionate man and was also very interested in meeting our First Nations people of the Yued tribe.
“This won’t be just about listening to music,” Ms Campbell highlighted.
“It is a reflection of the ark of his journey, featuring Spanish, Italian and Australian music, with original compositions performed by New Norcia’s own Fr Robert Nixon OSB,” she said.
Ms Campbell also noted the concert will look at one of Salvado’s most famous concerts, which saw him walk from New Norcia to Perth for seven days to play three hours non-stop.
“Its important we tell of that connection he had with the people and his desire to do good in the world,” Ms Campbell continued.
At the age of 15, Rosendo Salvado entered the Benedictine Abbey of San Martin at Compostela. He was clothed in the habit in 1829 and took his final vows in 1832.
In 1835, he was forced to flee to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, after the anti-Catholic government of Juan Álvarez Mendizábal decreed the closing of all monasteries and the secularisation of monks as a result of the First Carlist War.
He was received into the Abbey of Trinità della Cava, near Naples, where he was ordained to the priesthood in February 1839.
The “Bishop of the Bush” performance is one of three from PSO’s unique chamber music series, ‘WA Stories’, connecting people with the stories of WA Icons.
Through this particular performance, Perth Symphony seeks to celebrate Bishop Salvado’s progressive relationship with the Aboriginal people, his interest in and respect for their culture.
The Yued people saved his life, and from all we know, he was a true friend of the Yued people, dedicating his life to recording their language, culture and customs.
Perth Symphony acknowledges that the institution that Bishop Salvado founded at New Norcia, had a huge impact on the local Aboriginal people, and that there were dark times for many people and families after Bishop Salvado’s death.
We acknowledge that the story we tell through this performance is that of Bishop Salvado. We have not attempted to tell the wider story of New Norcia, as it is not our story to tell.
Perth Symphony remains committed to the vision of reconciliation that celebrates strong and positive relationships and outcomes between Aboriginal Peoples and the wider Western Australian community.
Readers of The Record will receive a 10% discount for a Bishop of the Bush concert. Use Promo code STORY10.
To purchase tickets, go to https://perthsymphony.com/concerts-and-tickets/whats-on/wa-stories-bishop-of-the-bush
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