We sat down for an exclusive interview with David Le Page, Artistic Director of Orchestra of the Swan, ahead of his return to Oxford Playhouse with Anton Lesser and Lucia Bonbright in A Beautiful Thread: Thomas Hardy in Words & Music. As Lesser and Bonbright bring Hardy’s story to life through his own words, Le Page and the orchestra weave in a rich programme of classical music and contemporary folk.
A Beautiful Thread: Thomas Hardy in Words & Music plays at Oxford Playhouse on Tuesday, 26 May.
https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/a-beautiful-thread-thomas-hardy-in-words-music
What does music reveal about Hardy that words alone might not?
Music adds an extra layer of emotional texture to Hardy’s world. We may already know some of the pieces, and we may be familiar with the texts, but when placed side by side they illuminate something new in each other. The music creates a space in which the audience can experience Hardy’s life and work from a different perspective. It reveals the unexpected, and provides moments of reflection throughout the performance.
In what ways does this project reflect your wider artistic vision for Orchestra of the Swan?
I’ve always embraced influences from other musical genres and art forms, as I believe they immeasurably enrich what we do. More broadly, I think Orchestra of the Swan seeks to expand our sense of what an orchestra can be in the 21st century. The musical language of A Beautiful Thread – drawing on folk traditions and using a cinematic approach to underscore – reflects the way we approach programming across the organisation. It’s about dissolving boundaries and creating something that feels both rooted and contemporary.
How do you approach curating a programme that spans folk, classical and contemporary styles while maintaining a cohesive identity?
Despite the range of influences, there is a strong sense of cohesion in the show. That comes partly from the instrumentation – strings, accordion, flute, trumpet/flugelhorn – and partly from the careful choice of repertoire. Crucially, it’s also shaped by the linking, filmic underscores I’ve composed specifically for the project. These can carry a great deal of emotional weight: sometimes it’s just a single sustained note or texture, at other times a more fully developed composition, always serving the storytelling in the most direct and compelling way.
How do you direct musicians to perform as part of a theatrical experience rather than a traditional concert setting?
Our relationship with Judy (director) and Hambletts Productions (who created the show) has been a wonderful experience for the orchestra. Judy was adamant that we should be on stage with the actors, rather than in a pit, and this changes everything. We are in costume, fully visible, and facing the audience – part of the dramatic world rather than separate from it. The whole experience is built on communication: between the musicians, with the actors, and with the audience. During the performances I lead from the violin and remain in constant contact with Anton and Lucia, giving subtle cues and shaping the musical responses in real time. It’s a privilege to watch an actor like Anton up close and see how imaginatively he approaches the text – there’s always something fresh and unexpected in every performance.
How did you approach creating a musical world that can sit alongside Thomas Hardy’s language without overwhelming it?
In many ways, Hardy himself provides the starting point. He left clear traces of his musical life – his connection to church music, to singing, and to the folk traditions that appear in Under the Greenwood Tree. His lifetime also coincided with a particularly rich period in English music, overlapping with composers such as Holst and Warlock. The challenge is to use these elements with sensitivity, allowing them to sit naturally within the narrative.