Australian Premiere: Custodians of the Sky

Custodians of the Sky is a new Australian work by composer Luke Styles that invites audiences to journey among the heavens and the earth, exploring our shared imaginings of the universe through the power of music and poetry.

At Emanuel Synagogue, this production takes on special resonance. Honouring the Jewish tradition of contemplating our place in creation, the work invites reflection on the land, the stars, and our enduring connection to the wonders above. Through music, poetry, and soundscapes from Australian stargazing sites, Custodians of the Sky celebrates how different cultures—including the Jewish tradition—interpret the mysteries of the cosmos and seek meaning under the night sky.

Custodians of the Sky was commissioned by French ensemble Le Balcon and Australian tenor Michael Smallwood, Veronica and Don Aldridge and donors via the Australian Cultural Fund, and premiered in Paris in 2023. Bass-Baritone Adrian Tamburini joins Smallwood and conductor Alphonse Cemin, along with 14 Australian musicians, to bring the work to Emanuel Synagogue for its Australian premiere.

Completing the artistic team is Ensemble Offspring, the renowned Sydney-based ensemble known for its innovative performers.

The score is overlaid throughout with recordings from Australian stargazing sites. Working with these recordings, the Parisian sound designer Rémi le Thaillandier has created a 3-dimensional soundscape, with sounds of the bush coming from all parts of the theatre, including above.

This is complemented by animated projections from Colombian-born video artist Nieto, who adds his outsider perspective to the overwhelming beauty of the Australian sky.

The text is drawn from living Australian writers and framed by the writings of Indigenous astronomer Bill Yidumduma Harney and Hugh Cairns (Dark Sparklers), alongside five contemporary poems transformed into song:

• Stars by David Malouf

• Skywatchers by Margaret Bradstock

• Perspective Passes Over Us by Renée Pettitt-Schipp

• Moon by A. Frances Johnson

• The Moon via Telescope by Margaret Bradstock

To conclude this celebration of the Australian firmament, tenor Michael Smallwood and pianist Alphonse Cemin will present songs by Kurt Weill, a German-born Jewish composer, that celebrate the beauty and atmosphere of the nighttime sky. Weill’s works reflect themes of identity, exile, and social justice rooted in his Jewish heritage.

His music offers a thoughtful and emotional exploration of human experience, complementing the contemplative nature of Custodians of the Sky. The performance features tenor Michael Smallwood and pianist Alphonse Cemin. This second half provides a poignant Jewish perspective on themes of night, reflection, and belonging. Together, the two programs create a rich artistic dialogue on tradition, identity, and connection under the night sky.

The combined experience invites audiences to reflect on diverse musical and cultural stories.

As we gather beneath the same sky, Custodians of the Sky offers a poetic invitation to explore the interplay between tradition, land, and the infinite heavens—a reflection that is deeply meaningful to the Jewish community and to all who seek connection through art and story.