Lior’s triumphant tribute to William Cooper
Singer Lior stars in a new production based around Aboriginal activist William Cooper’s protest march in Melbourne in 1938 after Kristallnacht. By Danny Gocs
THE song cycle Ngapa William Cooper, the second collaboration between Israeli-born Melbourne singer Lior and composer Nigel Westlake, premiered at the 2023 Adelaide Festival.
For Lior, it was a triumphant return to Adelaide – in 2021 he sang in Compassion (his earlier collaboration with Westlake) at WOMADelaide.
Ngapa William Cooper was performed twice at the Adelaide Festival, with a first performance at rural UKARIA Cultural Centre on March 5 and then at the Adelaide Town Hall on March 7.
Supported by the Australian String Quartet along with percussionist Rebecca Lagos, pianist Andrea Lam and Kees Boersma on double bass, Lior and Yorta Yorta singer Dr Lou Bennet alternated in a capella style for most of the 35-minute performance.
Ngapa William Cooper highlights the story around Aboriginal activist William Cooper’s protest march in 1938 to the German consulate in Melbourne just weeks after the terror of Kristallnacht.
Cooper was appalled by the lack of condemnation by governments around the world and led the Australian Aborigines’ League protest march, which was the only such non-Jewish representation made anywhere.
The uplifting score that portrays the march becomes more sombre as the protestors are denied entry by the German Consul.
To add to the impact, the audience hears a recording of the words spoken by Cooper at the time.
The climax of the final song cycle expresses Cooper’s sentiment: “At the end of my days I want to know I spoke up when I saw wrong.”
There was a touching moment at the end of the 35-minute performance at the Adelaide Town Hall when Westlake joined the singers and musicians on stage to acknowledge the standing ovation from the audience.
For Lior, the idea to write the musical narrative Ngapa William Cooper blossomed a few years ago and he teamed up with Sarah Gory to write the lyrics and then create the songs.
Prior to Ngapa William Cooper being performed, the concert featured violinists Dale Barltrop and Francesca Hiew, violist Christopher Cartlidge and cellist Michael Dahlenburg performing Bryce Dessner’s Aheym – Yiddish for homeward – and the Australian String Quartet performing Philip Glass’s Mishima.
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