Women of Note

ABC Classic Compilation Album

SHOWCASING THE EXTRAORDINARY IMAGINATION, EMOTIONAL DEPTH AND STYLISTIC BREADTH OF AUSTRALIAN WOMEN IN MUSIC

The album brings together established voices, leading mid‑career creators and exciting new compositional talents, performed by some of the country’s most compelling artists and ensembles. The works on this album explore inner worlds and vast landscapes, intimate reflections and sweeping histories, offering listeners a richly varied portrait of contemporary Australian composition.

A selection of performances feature mezzo-soprano Jessica O’Donoghue, reflecting her deep commitment to representing modern, complex characters, especially women, in the opera space: ‘Speak Our Names’ from Andrée Greenwell’s Three Marys; Peggy Polias’ Commute, the story of a woman’s journey home, and how complicated, fearful and alienating this experience can be; the lament ‘Your Dusk is Near’ from Mary Finsterer’s Biographica, capturing the pain and despair of a young woman facing her last hours; and O’Donoghue’s own Running Man, an exploration of mental illness, manipulated reality and tampered perspectives.