8 Jun 2025
Mercury Songs
Emily Levy and Matthew Bourne
3pm: Loading Bay
Enjoy an experimental piece by a five-piece ensemble that recasts British folk traditions for today
Performer-composers Emily Levy and Matthew Bourne present a new work that recasts British folk traditions for today.
Award-winning performer-composers Emily Levy and Matthew Bourne’s new work for five-piece ensemble, with experimental orchestration and rich vocal textures.
Mercury Songs is inspired by Bradford-born Julia Varley, a 20th-century activist for women’s and worker’s rights. It is a subversive reimagining of British folk traditions in a post-#MeToo world.
About this event
This New Music Biennial 2025 event is free, but ticketed. Seating is unallocated and tickets don’t guarantee entry: admission is on a first-come, first-served basis for those with tickets. Please arrive early to avoid disappointment.
This event includes two performances of the same work and a short interview with the creative team in between the two, enabling audiences to experience the second performance with greater insight into the creative process.
About New Music Biennial
New Music Biennial is a three-day festival celebrating the best new music across all genres from the country’s most exciting composers – and in 2025, for the first time, it’s coming to venues around Bradford.
Partners
Past event
Were you at this event?
Complete our feedback form and let us know what you thought.
Share your feedback
Related Events
24 May – 12 Oct 2025
Earth & Sky
Opera North
An immersive sound walk over the moors above Haworth.
24 May - 12 Oct
Earth & Sky: borrow a device
Use this page to reserve a device and explore the audio world of Earth & Sky on one of our pre-loaded devices.
2 Aug 2025
Summer Sounds: Saturday
Asha Puthli, Metz n Trix and ganayva headline day one of our music weekender in The Beacon.
3 Aug 2025
Summer Sounds: Sunday
Nitin Sawhney and Poppy Ajudha top the bill for day two of our Beacon music weekender.
5 - 28 Aug 2025
