About the piece
For Seaton Delaval Hall, I’m writing a piece of music inspired by the rumoured existence of a now-lost mural painting of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, festivity, madness and theatre. Using his voice, I conjure up the spirit of madness that seemed to reign when the Delavals lived here: the excessive parties, the sumptuous meals, the bewildering tricks they played on their guests, and their love of theatre and the arts. Although much of the hall's original interior was lost in a fire, Bacchus’s spirit lingers in the beer cellar, reminiscing on what once was.
