In 1938, Cooper, an Aboriginal activist who played a pivotal role in establishing equal rights for Aboriginal Australians, led one of the most striking Australian responses to the events of Kristallnacht in Nazi Germany. This new work is a way of preserving and promoting his legacy and bringing to light this remarkable act of compassion.

Ngapa William Cooper combines Westlake’s signature rich musical palette with moving vocals from Lior and Bennett. Sung in English and Yorta Yorta language, this powerful story celebrates a man who left behind a legacy of resistance, solidarity and empathy.

This performance will also feature Frederick Septimus Kelly’s Elegy in Memoriam Rupert Brooke. The Australian composer’s work, written while he was in the trenches at Gallipoli, speaks equally powerfully to compassion and our shared humanity.