About Dominique
Based in London, Trinidad-born composer Dominique Le Gendre has written music extensively for theatre, dance, film, television and radio drama for BBC Radio 3 and 4. She composed and produced music for all 38 Shakespeare plays recorded for audio, “The Complete Arkangel Shakespeare”, directed by Clive Brill. Her musical language has been described as luminous, glittering and distinctive, reflecting the rich multi-culture of her Caribbean upbringing.
In 2004 she was invited to become an Associate Artist of the Royal Opera House, (ROH2) Covent Garden, who commissioned her full-length opera “Bird Of Night," directed by Irina Brown and premiered in October 2006 at the ROH Linbury Theatre.
Her chamber works have been commissioned and performed by The ROH chamber soloists, The Philharmonia Orchestra, The Manning Camerata, Lontano Orchestra, Tête-a-tête Opera, Ibis Ensemble and British cellist Tony Woollard among others.
She has been Associate Artist to the Manning Camerata led by ROH concertmaster, Peter Manning with whom she collaborated on the Dramma per Musica of Seamus Heaney’s “The Burial at Thebes”, directed by Derek Walcott and premiered in 2008 at Liverpool8 and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London.
Dreamwinds, a chamber poem commissioned by photographer and curator Ingrid Pollard for Museum of London, Docklands’ “Landfall” exhibition, premiered in 2009.
2010 saw a return to theatre with musical direction of "Rum and Coca Cola", a co-production between Talawa, West Yorkshire Playhouse and English Touring Theatre that received critical acclaim, followed by the Coloured Museum in 2011 at the V&A in London produced by Talawa.
In August 2012 she co-curated with Melanie Abrahams " London is the Place for Me", a two week festival to celebrate Trinidad and Tobago's 50th Anniversary of Independence organized by the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission in London.
In January 2013 she workshopped "Jab Molassie" a new music-theatre work commissioned by Calabash Foundation for the Arts. The libretto for this new work has been written by Double Bassist Caitlyn Kamminga and is inspired by Stravinsky's "Soldier's Tale". It sets the universal Faustian tale in Trinidad and includes a double-tenor steel-pan in the 9 piece ensemble.
Dominique has also been commissioned by New York based Ensemble du Monde who will premiere a new string quartet "Le Génie Humain" at the Festival of Afro-Caribbean Composers in the Bahamas in February 2013.
Other current projects include a one-year creative engagement project inspired by Estauries in collaboration with Practical Philosopher Ayisha De Lanerolle, Creative Producer Kate Theophilus, Chef Sarah Saunders and LAB Director Susan Benn. Dominique is also researching, developing and creating a number of new theatre and music-theatre projects, salons and symposia in collaboration with Jamaican Writer Pat Cumper.
Further works in progress are described under Current Projects.
In 2004 she was invited to become an Associate Artist of the Royal Opera House, (ROH2) Covent Garden, who commissioned her full-length opera “Bird Of Night," directed by Irina Brown and premiered in October 2006 at the ROH Linbury Theatre.
Her chamber works have been commissioned and performed by The ROH chamber soloists, The Philharmonia Orchestra, The Manning Camerata, Lontano Orchestra, Tête-a-tête Opera, Ibis Ensemble and British cellist Tony Woollard among others.
She has been Associate Artist to the Manning Camerata led by ROH concertmaster, Peter Manning with whom she collaborated on the Dramma per Musica of Seamus Heaney’s “The Burial at Thebes”, directed by Derek Walcott and premiered in 2008 at Liverpool8 and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London.
Dreamwinds, a chamber poem commissioned by photographer and curator Ingrid Pollard for Museum of London, Docklands’ “Landfall” exhibition, premiered in 2009.
2010 saw a return to theatre with musical direction of "Rum and Coca Cola", a co-production between Talawa, West Yorkshire Playhouse and English Touring Theatre that received critical acclaim, followed by the Coloured Museum in 2011 at the V&A in London produced by Talawa.
In August 2012 she co-curated with Melanie Abrahams " London is the Place for Me", a two week festival to celebrate Trinidad and Tobago's 50th Anniversary of Independence organized by the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission in London.
In January 2013 she workshopped "Jab Molassie" a new music-theatre work commissioned by Calabash Foundation for the Arts. The libretto for this new work has been written by Double Bassist Caitlyn Kamminga and is inspired by Stravinsky's "Soldier's Tale". It sets the universal Faustian tale in Trinidad and includes a double-tenor steel-pan in the 9 piece ensemble.
Dominique has also been commissioned by New York based Ensemble du Monde who will premiere a new string quartet "Le Génie Humain" at the Festival of Afro-Caribbean Composers in the Bahamas in February 2013.
Other current projects include a one-year creative engagement project inspired by Estauries in collaboration with Practical Philosopher Ayisha De Lanerolle, Creative Producer Kate Theophilus, Chef Sarah Saunders and LAB Director Susan Benn. Dominique is also researching, developing and creating a number of new theatre and music-theatre projects, salons and symposia in collaboration with Jamaican Writer Pat Cumper.
Further works in progress are described under Current Projects.
Slideshow photo credits: Maria Nunes - Jab Molassie, Trinidad, 2013/Fragments 1, Trinidad 2011; Rchard H. Smith - The Coloured Museum, Talawa Theatre Company 2011; Liane Harris - untitled images, London, 2011
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