“The piano in her mother’s salon was never meant to be a musical instrument. It is meant to be dusted, and polished, and admired. Like the girl herself, it is meant to be seen, not heard…”

She Composed, Herself celebrates the life and music of the late-19th-century female French composer, Mel (Mélanie) Bonis. Spoken-word intersects with soaring cello and tumultuous piano as the extraordinary story of this remarkable woman unfolds — a story of high drama and intrigue of Bridgertonian proportions… arranged marriages, passionate affairs, a secret daughter… and more. She Composed, Herself shines the spotlight on one of history’s hidden female influencers.

Brought to life by the Quill & Scroll Ensemble:
Alexandra Lee - Cellist and Artistic Director
Rachel Dunstan Muller - Writer and Storyteller
Frances Armstrong - Pianist and Collaborator

Original script by Rachel Dunstan Muller

Musical excerpts arranged by Alexandra Lee:
Sonata in F, Op. 67, for cello & piano, by Mel Bonis
Méditation, Op. 33, by Mel Bonis Les Gitanos, by Mel Bonis
Noël pastoral, by Mel Bonis Berceuse, by Mel Bonis
La Cathédrale blessée, by Mel Bonis Clair de Lune, by Claude Debussy

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