Lockdown Recommendations from Musicians: Soprano and Composer Héloïse Werner

As part of our series of musicians' lockdown recommendations, Héloïse Werner introduces us to the music, podcasts and other cultural tidbits she's been enjoying while at home

Ivors Composer Week Soprano and Composer Héloïse Werner. Photo credit: Nick Rutter

Freya Parr

Published: July 2, 2020 at 11:54 am

Music recommendations

Sean Shibe’s new Bach album out on Delphian records is stunning and so good for the soul.

Some years ago, I saw Teresa Cristina and her band Grupo Semente perform in a bar in Rio – one of the best gigs I’ve ever seen. Their music is so heart-warming and so is her voice – very uplifting lockdown listening.

I recently watched the great Nina Simone documentary on Netflix, What Happened, Miss Simone?, and I’ve been listening to her songs on repeat ever since. Just so good.

Podcast recommendation

Literary Friction, hosted by Carrie Plitt and Octavia Bright, is one of the best podcasts out there and has been such a great companion during lockdown. Their minisode on intimacy is particularly brilliant.

Comedy recommendation

Comedy duo The Pin have been posting some very very funny sketches on Twitter since the beginning of lockdown.

Theatre recommendation

One of the things I’ve been missing the most during lockdown is not being able to go to the theatre and watch plays. Instead, I’ve been watching some online, including the National Theatre production of Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire, which features an incredible performance from Gillian Anderson as Blanche DuBois.

I also re-read Duncan Macmillan’s completely brilliant play People, Places & Things. It resonated so much with me at the time and it still does.

Radio recommendation

Night Tracks on Radio 3 hosted by Sara Mohr-Pietsch and Hannah Peel is such a well curated and beautiful show. A great late-night lockdown companion.

Film recommendations

I’ve really enjoyed watching some old films, including Mankiewicz’s All about Eve (such a masterpiece), Preminger’s Laura and various Hitchcock ones. Most of them are on YouTube for free, which is amazing!

Music and spoken word recommendation

I saw HUH live at the Roundhouse last year and loved it – it’s now available to watch on YouTube – produced by Jasmin Kent Rodgman and featuring some amazing artists including Salena Godden, Errollyn Wallen and Ayanna Witter-Johnson. You can access the full livestream here.

Check out Héloïse Werner's 'coronasolfege' series here, updated regularly throughout lockdown.

Freya Parr

Digital Editor and Staff Writer, BBC Music Magazine

Freya Parr is BBC Music Magazine's digital editor and staff writer, editing and writing on all styles of music across both the website and print magazine. She has also written for titles including the Guardian, Circus Journal, Frankie and Suitcase Magazine, and runs The Noiseletter, a fortnightly arts and culture publication. Freya's main areas of interest and research lie in 20th-century and contemporary music. She's a regular sea shanty singer, folk obsessive and occasional flautist, pianist, organist and musical theatre director.
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