This album was recorded live in concert at Milton Court, The Barbican, London, on October 20th, 2023.
Historical Context
Nadia Anjuman secretly attended an underground educational circle called the Golden Needle Sewing School, which disguised literary discussions as sewing lessons.
Composition History
Richard Blackford's "Songs of Nadia Anjuman" was commissioned by Britten Sinfonia and received 5-star reviews from The Times and The Guardian.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Composer Richard Blackford chose five poems by Nadia Anjuman that cover a wide range of emotions, from love and delight to despair and contemplation of suicide.
Historical Context
Nadia Anjuman was beaten to death by her husband at the age of 25 because he believed her writing brought disgrace upon his family.
Historical Context
Nadia Anjuman, the Afghan poet whose texts are set in this work, faced severe restrictions on women's liberties after the Taliban captured her birthplace, Herat, in 1995.
Performer Biography
Elizabeth Watts, the soprano on this recording, was a chorister at Norwich Cathedral and studied archaeology at Sheffield University before pursuing singing.
