RISING: Consort of the Moon

Fallen golden leaves, a bare and harrowing treescape stretching metres aboveground, and the slush of dewy grass at Fitzroy Gardens makes for a prime space for Consort of the Moon. The unique and new sound-work invites the audience to participate in a haunting, ancient melody. As part of RISING, this captivating and primodorial ritual harnesses the power of communal listening, both to one another and the earth.

The experience of Consort of the Moon commences at the Conservatory at Fitzroy Gardens. Each audience member receives a small collection of heated stones. The congregation is then escorted to the meeting place, a circular, open-air, makeshift amphitheatre. There, co-creators Genevieve Lacey and Erkki Veltheim – draped in stunning white gowns – walk to the stage in the middle, and pull string, facing each other diametrically.

From there, a guttural, hypnotic and ethereal melody is borne, utilising live and hyper-real electroacousitc music, the sounds of the wild – particularly owls, bats and cicadas – and audience participation through the shaking and grinding of the aforementioned rocks.

The end result is that the twilight gathering is inspired by the oldest known piece of notated song and is an ode to Nikkal, Goddess of Orchards and Consort of the Moon. Admittedly, it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I found the experience soothing and contemplative. It was a little kooky, a little spooky. At the very least, it’s an opportunity to simply sit back, rug up with a blanket, close your eyes and tune-in to a mesmerising aural meditation.

Consort of the Moon is a 60-minute experience as part of RISING.

RISING: Consort of the Moon
Fitzroy Gardens
Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, 3002
Runs until Wednesday 14 June 2023

Images: Gregory Lorenzutti