PROGRAM NOTE

Lady Dark takes its title from a set of sonnets (sonnets 127–152) by William Shakespeare that are known as The Dark Lady Sonnets. Unlike Shakespeare’s Fair Youth sonnets, the Dark Lady sonnets are much more sexual and passionate. They are so named The Dark Lady because the poems portray a female figure with black hair and shadowy skin. The work is cast into three continuous movements. Each movement explores the myriad of complex emotions of desire, lust and forbidden love that are expressed in Shakespeare’s sonnets.

Note:

The is the full orchestral version expands on three movements from the original chamber orchestra version.

The orginal chamber orchestra version contains 4 movements.