Event

Clear Voices in the Dark

2015 marks the anniversary of the ends of two horrific wars the Civil War (150 years), and World War II (70 years) providing a poignant opportunity to share some of the music inspired and shaped by these conflicts. Francis Poulenc's Figure Humaine is one of the greatest works ever composed for unaccompanied choir composed in 1943 in occupied France based on resistance-inspired poems by Paul Eluard, it is a stunning exploration of the grim realities of war, culminating in an optimistic and embattled cry for liberty in the face of oppression. Interspersed between Poulenc's stirring and complex settings, Skylark will offer far simpler (but no less beautiful) musical images from the American Civil War era. We will share some well-known pieces that have remained in the popular consciousness, as well as beautiful war-inspired songs that have been long since forgotten (and only found thanks to the Duke University Historical Archives). Clear Voices in the Dark is a celebration of the power of the human spirit to endure in times of turmoil.