Life Story

soprano and piano

Year

1994

Duration

00:09:00

Category

Soprano

Languages

English

Text and credits

Tennessee Williams

Commission

Arrangement made for Sarah Leonard and Richard Rodney Bennett

Programme notes

This setting was made in April 1993 for the Mary Wiegold song-book. It reflects all the double-edges of the poem: comic and tragic, relaxed and formal, seedy and tender, with a toe-stubbing punchline.

Reviews

'Thomas Adès sets Tennessee Williams’ chronicle of pillow talk during a one-night stand to music that curls and stings like cigarette smoke.'

Newsday (Justin Davidson), 12 January 1999

'A deft setting of Tennessee Williams’ reflections on post-coital pillow chat… for the unlikely but effective combination of two bass clarinets, double-bass, and a soprano recommended to take the late Billie Holiday as her model… ‘Vehement and exhausted’ is his expression mark. But the handling is light, cunning and relaxed.'

The Observer (Andrew Porter), January 1994

Availability

Score 0571515177 on sale

Scores and publication

Upcoming performances

No performances found.

Previous performances

13 October 2025 — Holywell Music Room (Oxford, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
13 September 2025 — St. Andrew Church (Lyddington, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
29 November 2024 — Wigmore Hall (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
24 September 2017 — Salle de la Bourse (Strasbourg, Alsace, France) — France — Composer
22 January 2016 — South Oxford Space (Brooklyn, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
22 November 2015 — New York City Center, New York (15:00) — USA — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
21 November 2015 — New York City Center, New York (19:30) — USA — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
20 November 2015 — New York City Center, New York (19:30) — USA — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
19 May 2015 — Melbourne Recital Centre (Melbourne, VIC, Australia) — Australia — Composer
8 May 2015 — Redutowe Rooms, Teatr Wielki Opera Naradowa (Warsaw, Poland) — Poland — Composer
1 November 2014 — Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London — United Kingdom — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
31 October 2014 — Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London (19:30) — United Kingdom — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
30 October 2014 — Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London — United Kingdom — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
5 March 2014 — The Forge, Camden (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
2 November 2012 — CBSO Centre (Birmingham, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
24 October 2012 — Casino Baumgarten (Vienna, Austria) — Austria — Composer
10 September 2012 — Wigmore Hall (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
1 April 2010 — Kilbourn Hall, University of Rochester (Rochester, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
24 January 2010 — No Venue (Berlin, Germany) — Germany — Composer
12 November 2009 — Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
20 April 2008 — Elphinstone Hall, University of Aberdeen (Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
23 September 2007 — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
16 April 2007 — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
10 February 2007 — No Venue (Paris, France) — France — Composer
28 September 2005 — No Venue (Trondheim, Norway) — Norway — Composer
4 August 2005 — No Venue (Santa Fe, NM, USA) — USA — Composer
3 August 2005 — No Venue (Santa Fe, NM, USA) — USA — Composer
8 April 2005 — Lippes Concert Hall, University at Buffalo (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
14 January 2005 — Purcell Room, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
7 December 2004 — Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (Lisbon, Portugal) — Portugal — Composer
3 November 2004 — Gueston Hall, Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings (Stoke Heath, Worcestershire, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
28 April 2004 — Wigmore Hall (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
24 January 2004 — Kleine Zaal, Het Concertgebouw (Amsterdam, Netherlands) — Netherlands — Composer
1 October 2003 — No Venue (Alicante, Spain) — Spain — Composer
2 August 2003 — Bargemusic (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
29 November 2002 — No Venue (Ghent, Belgium) — Belgium — Composer
27 November 2002 — No Venue (Antwerp, Belgium) — Belgium — Composer
1 November 2002 — All Saints Church, Tooting (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
7 January 2002 — Purcell Room, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
27 January 2001 — Joyce Theater (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
26 January 2001 — Joyce Theater (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
23 January 2001 — Joyce Theater (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
17 March 2000 — Purcell Room, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
10 March 2000 — WDR 3 (Germany) — Germany — Composer
7 August 1999 — Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
5 August 1999 — Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
14 March 1999 — Mills College (Oakland, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
20 February 1999 — Wigmore Hall (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
11 February 1999 — University of Roehampton (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
12 August 1998 — No Venue (Dartington, Devon, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
7 February 1998 — The Music Gallery (Toronto, ON, Canada) — Canada — Composer
21 December 1995 — Royal Holloway, University of London (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
13 August 1995 — No Venue (Dartington, Devon, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
8 July 1994 — No Venue (Warwick, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer

Recordings

Coral Island — 2001 — Ta Ra Ga (TRG-004)
Aspen Music Festival Artist Sampler '97 — 1997 — EMI Classics (11811)
EMI Classics - Debut 1 — 1997 — EMI Classics (DEBUT 1)
Life Story — 1997 — EMI Debut (7243 5 69699 2 6)