The Dante Project
2026 – Present
Our principal undertaking for 2026 is a major new work inspired by Dante Alighieri — one of literature's most enduring voices, and a figure whose vision has stirred composers for centuries, from Liszt and Tchaikovsky to Thomas Adès.
Commenced in late 2024, after the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death, this ambitious project aims to create a 20 minute song cycle followed by a one hour one act opera on the meeting of Dante and Beatrice in the Terrestrial Paradise. Dante placed the Terrestrial Paradise at the top of Mt Purgatory in the Southern Hemisphere. The project adapts the text of the translation into English from the Florentine original of La Commedia by Sir Samuel Griffith, Australia’s First Chief Justice.
Dante experts who are advisors
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Dr Diana Glenn
Expert in the women of the Comedy
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Dr Katherine Firth
Librettist whose PHD was on the creation of libretto
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Dr Mary Dwyer
Dante scholar at both the University of Melbourne and New England
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Dr Simon West
Poet and Dante scholar
Musicians
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Christopher Hillier
Baritone
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Rachael Joyce
Soprano
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Boyd Owen
Tenor
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Dimity Shepherd
Mezzo Soprano
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Gordon Kerry
Composer
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Coady Green
Artistic director and Pianist
Stage 1 Completed
Song Cycle for piano and four voices
- Artistic director and pianist: Coady Green
- Length: 20 minutes
- Story adaptation: Margot Costanzo
- Composers: Gordon Kerry and Gulliver Poole
- Librettists: Margot Costanzo and Gordon Kerry
Songs:
I fear for Dante Beatrice (soprano) and Virgil (baritone)
Are you Ghost or Mortal Man? Virgil and Dante (tenor)
You came through the Purple Air Francesca da Rimini (mezzo soprano) and Dante
You may not go beyond this wall of fire Virgil and Dante
Stage 2
Opera for piano, quartet, percussion and five voices
Gordon Kerry (pictured above) has been commission to complete the opera score for Dante & Beatrice -both libretto and music. His delivery date is December 1. It is planned to perform a second Song Cycle at the 2027 Forty-Five Downstairs Chamber Music Festival, Date TBC.