To conclude 2025, French-British composer Josephine Stephenson will present two major world premieres. These two premieres, with a social purpose, demonstrate her versatility and commitment across Europe.
French Premiere: Paysannes – A Feminist Journey Through History
On November 21 and 25, 2025, the ensemble TM+ will unveil Stephenson's new work, Paysannes, as part of its ‘Signatures’ project and its ‘Voyage de l'écoute’ concert concept. This immersive musical experience features a programme composed exclusively of women, spanning several centuries from Hildegard von Bingen to contemporary figures such as Kaija Saariaho.
Thematic Focus
Paysannes brings together a collection of French works from the 16th and 17th centuries that depict the difficult lives of women in rural areas. This fifteen-minute work, arranged for soprano and an ensemble of eight musicians, highlights how many issues remain unchanged even several centuries later.
As described in the composer's note, the work recounts several stories of women with tragic destinies, married against their will, abused or abandoned, who use their voices to resist, rebel and act against these practices at the forefront of contemporary feminism. Pascal Adoumbou, artistic director of TM+, adds that the ‘Signatures’ programme is a unique gesture that ‘reveals the common as unique’.
UK Premiere: Fire, river, garden – An Ode to Our Planet
On December 13, 2025, London will host the world premiere of Fire, River, Garden, a work commissioned from Josephine Stephenson, which will be performed at Kings Place.
Entitled ‘An Ode to Our Planet,’ the concert questions our ‘true connection to the Earth and its state of vulnerability.’ Transposing her environmental reflections into the present, this new work by Josephine Stephenson directly addresses the climate crisis and its challenges.
The overall programme combines Bach's introspective Cello Suites Nos. 1 and 5 (performed by Altstaedt) with new contemporary works, including the British premiere of Vols brisés by Spanish composer Raquel García-Tomás.
Josephine's distinctive style
Appreciated and acclaimed for her "music that captivates the ear and stops the heart" (The Times). Her works combine clarity and intimacy with unique vocal textures, creating timeless and immersive music. Her ability to blend historical figures with a contemporary, hybrid universe, as seen in Paysannes, confirms her status as an important revelatory voice of our era, who expresses herself transparently on the issues of our time.