Manchester Camerata
Eight Songs for a Mad King
Memory Unwrapped
| Errollyn Wallen | By Gis and by Saint Charity |
|---|---|
| Judith Weir | Blue Green Hill |
| Schumann | Kreisleriana |
| Peter Maxwell Davies | 8 Songs for a Mad King |
| Idunnu Münch | mezzo-soprano |
|---|---|
| Manchester Camerata | |
| John Andrews | conductor |
| Ruth Knight | director |
Broken sounds and broken instruments: an uncompromising portrayal of the mind.
8 Songs for a Mad King is a melodrama with a libretto based on the real-life observations of King George III, presenting an extravagant and disturbing portrayal of his condition.
Vocalising weirdly as he bemoans his fate, trying to teach his instrumentalist-birds to sing – our ensemble’s musicians becoming projections from within his own mind.
In our interpretation of this shocking masterwork, the protagonist role of King George III will be brought to life by the Mezzo-Soprano Idunnu Münch. Through her performance, she gives voice to the narratives surrounding mental illness, particularly those shaped by the female experience.
Schumann was to spend his final years in an asylum; he was 46 at the time of his death. Fittingly, in hindsight, it is hard for us to resist hearing a foreshadowing of doom in the uncanny lilting march of the concluding section of Kreisleriana.
Brace yourself for this theatre classic, where the music doesn’t just speak, it screams, whispers, and unravels at the brink of madness.
This event will last approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, including an interval.
Concessions & Under 30s tickets
Kings Place Concessions Tickets
We want to ensure that people who may be struggling financially to purchase a ticket can still enjoy visiting Kings Place. A limited number of tickets are allocated for certain events (if the ticket type does not show in the booking pathway, it means they are not available for this event or have all been sold). Concessions tickets are accessible for people on the following criteria (for more information visit our FAQs)
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Disability Benefit
- Income Support or Job Seekers allowance
- Students
£10 ‘Under 30s’ tickets
A limited number of £10 tickets for attendees aged under 30 are available for certain shows. To purchase an ‘Under 30s’ ticket, please choose the ‘Under 30s’ price type when selecting your ticket(s). If the option does not appear, this means all ‘Under 30s’ tickets have sold out or are not available for this performance. Please note that proof of age may be requested at the venue. The £10 offer does not apply to premium price categories.
Plan your visit
Getting here
Kings Place is situated just a few minutes’ walk from King’s Cross and St Pancras stations, one of the most connected locations in London and now the biggest transport hub in Europe.
Our address is:
90 York Way, London, N1 9AG.
The Venue
Our performance spaces are situated on the lower ground floor. Hall One, Hall Two and St Pancras are located in level -2, reached by stairs, escalator and lift from the ground floor entrance level.
Event Times
Door times indicate auditorium entrance times only. Visitors are welcome to enjoy the Kings Place seating areas, gallery-level art, canal-side terrace, café, restaurant and bar throughout the day and evening.
- Our events begin promptly at the advertised start time. Typically, there is no support unless otherwise stated.
- We recommend arriving in good time before the performance. The Hall doors will open 30 minutes before the performance to allow time to take your seats, or to choose a space for standing shows.
- Latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance where possible
Access
We aim to make your visit to Kings Place as comfortable as possible. For more information about the accessibility of Kings Place, including details about our Access Scheme, please visit this page.
If you would like to discuss your access requirements with a member of our team, please get in touch with the Box Office team at info@kingsplace.co.uk.
Food & Drink
Rotunda Bar & Restaurant
Rotunda, situated on the ground floor of Kings Place, offers a unique dining and drinking experience alongside Regent’s Canal. The concert bar in the venue foyer will also be open for select events.
Green & Fortune Café
Recently re-furbished and now open with a new look, the Green & Fortune Café is open for selected concerts. Serving hot and cold food and drinks, including sandwiches, salads, soup, stew and a pie of the day, alongside a choice of cakes made by the on-site bakery team. See here for selected concert dates and standard opening hours.