Society of Women Writers Victoria

In July 2023, the Heidelberg Choral Society premiered a new work titled Origins: Of the Universe, of life, of species, of humanity, co written by poet Leigh Hay and Professor Jenny Graves. Jenny’s dream had always been to write a secular choral work about the origins of the universe, and as Leigh had previously written a choral libretto, Jenny invited her to co-write Origins. The subsequent libretto was the coming together of science and poetry, and with music composed and orchestrated by Nicholas Buc, Origins premiered to a sell-out audience at the Melbourne Recital Centre. In this Zoom presentation, Leigh talks about keys to and the process of libretto writing and co-working in partnership with a scientist. Leigh, an author and poet, is a member of the Society of Women Writers Victoria.