Ugly Beauty : Celebrating 200 years of Pauline Viardot

Ugly Beauty : Celebrating 200 years of Pauline Viardot

Pauline Viardot is often remembered for the incredible voice she possessed and noted for her (supposed lack of) beauty, but she was also a prominent composer of her era.

In our first concert of 2021, Tenth Muse will celebrate Viardot’s forgotten works on the 200th anniversary of her birth. Join us at ‘Ugly Beauty’ for an exploration of the whole person: composer, singer and influential figure — Pauline Viardot was so much more than her appearance (and influence on the men around her) and she deserves to be celebrated as such.

Come and discover why she was called "the ant" by her family, and hear why Franz Liszt declared that, with Pauline Viardot, the world had finally found a woman composer of genius. Little did Liszt know that she was part of a whole generation of women composers writing exceptional works, a selection of which you can hear on the night.Join us as we celebrate Pauline Viardot, her sister Maria Malibran, and their contemporaries, and remind ourselves of the role in music history that women have always played. 

This concert  will feature:

• Lisa Harper-Brown (Soprano) 
• Chelsea Kluga (Mezzo Soprano)
• Hannah Lee Tungate (Soprano)
• Lucinda Nicholls (Soprano)
• Megan Barbetti (Flute)
• Claire Lane (Mezzo Soprano)
• Sophie Herbert (Mezzo Soprano)
• Tom Buckmaster (Tenor)
• Elena Wittkuhn (Cello)
• Martina Liegat (Collaborative Pianist)

Come and hear star soprano Lisa Harper-Brown sing pieces by Viardot, Maria Malibran & Josephine Lang. WA Opera Young Artist Chelsea Kluga will surprise you with songs by Viardot, Malibran and Charlotte Sainton-Dolby. This concert also features emerging Perth-based artists including flautist Megan Barbetti who will delight you with Clémence de Grandval's Suite for Flute & Piano. Come with us on a journey of musical discovery! We can guarantee that you'll discover pieces you've never heard before but wish that you had! 

Sliding Scale Ticket Prices

We are offering tickets to Ugly Beauty on a sliding scale basis – we don’t want finances to be a barrier if you would like to attend our concert. Art music is for everyone, and all are welcome at this and all of our events.

Below are guidelines for choosing your ticket price, with the key word being guide: you know your circumstances best. If you would like to pay an amount that is not listed below or require a free ticket, please get in contact at tenthmuseinitiative@gmail.com. No questions asked or proof needed.

Suggested:     Standard - $35     Concession - $20    Student - $10  

Consider paying less on the scale if you:

• Are supporting children or have other dependents

• Have significant debt

• Are an unpaid community organizer

• Are on JobSeeker/ other government support

• Work in an arts/community role that has been negatively impacted by the pandemic

Consider paying more on the scale if you:

• Can meet all of your basic needs & have an expendable income

• Travel recreationally

• Own the home you live in

• Have investments, retirement accounts, or inherited money

• Have access to family money and resources in times of need

This scale is intended to be a rough map, inviting us all to take inventory of our financial resources and look deeper at our levels of privilege. This is especially important to Tenth Muse given the historical role classical music has played in delineating class and opportunity, broadly excluding women and marginalised people from the industry. Please don’t stress about deciding your ticket price – choose what feels right.