A fair chunk of Messiaen’s oeuvre was unreservedly sacred in character, but for a colourful composer who was also a devout catholic, there is a small portion of his catalogue that’s decidedly saucy. The titillating myth of Tristan and Isolde inspired a trilogy of works concerning the almost divine quality of love, and its connection with death, oblivion, and transcendence. The strange, love-death ritual of Harawi, a song-cycle based on the Quechua love songs of Peru, is the first in the trilogy, and is a brilliant, dramatic work with all the theatricality you’d expect from Messiaen.

But for all its erotic excitement and virtuosic splendour, sadly, Harawi is rarely performed. Harawi is an incredibly demanding cycle covering a huge emotional gamut, and therefore it’s all the more impressive that a pair of young Australian expats rose to meet the challenges of this torrid work, presenting it in a stunning recital last Tuesday night as part of the Lieder Society of Victoria’s 2017 series.

Mezzo soprano Lotte Betts-Dean’s performance was powerful and lyrical, exhibiting a masterly control of both vocal range and colour. Shifting timbre from ghostly thin incanting to the wild throes of a full-bodied dramatic mezzo, Betts-Dean’s devoted performance captured...