Ophelia of the Spirits is a feminine archetype – a goddess, a mother, a child. She is a chameleon, a creature of magic and mystery who will draw you into her world of myth, fairytale and adventure with her ever-evolving concept albums and shows.
Born in 2007 in the depths of the mind of film composer and performer Angela Little, she is not so much a person as a portal to another universe where anything is possible and past, present and future collide. She began her adventures with the concept show ‘The Secret Garden’, an Alice in Wonderland-type story of a young woman who journeys into her subconscious to discover her true self.
Drawing inspiration from the character and story of ‘The Secret Garden‘, a book written in 1910 by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and also drawing on cinematic and literary influences as diverse as William Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll, Jean Cocteau, G.W. Pabst and Federico Fellini, the show explores a dreamlike and sometimes downright dangerous world where nothing is what it seems. With a live musical ensemble which includes instruments like the Tibetan singing bowl and the musical saw, as well as visual projections of surreal and haunting beauty, ‘The Secret Garden’ is a fantastical and deeply moving experience.
Performed in Sydney and Melbourne throughout 2008 and 2009, the songs from this show have made their way into the world on the debut EP ‘Ophelia of the Spirits’ and the 2009 Mini-Album, ‘The Secret Garden.’
In 2008, the film world came calling and Ophelia of the Spirits co-wrote and performed two songs from Baz Luhrmann’s epic film “Australia”. “By The Boab Tree” was the film’s love song, and was ultimately among 49 songs shortlisted for a 2009 Academy Award for Best Original Song from a Motion Picture. “Waltzing Matilda” was an epic Celtic-style rendering of the unofficial Australian National Anthem, and featured in the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.
As it turned out, performing “Waltzing Matilda” began to stir deep ancestral tides within her, and Ophelia’s creator Angela Little is now exploring her Celtic roots and embarking on a new adventure for 2010. ‘Celtic Fire’ is a mythic exploration of the breathtakingly beautiful world of Celtic folklore through music and visuals.
Take a little time to wander around Ophelia’s online universe, to read her patchwork quilt of thoughts on the blog, to visit the shoppe and listen to some music, to subscribe to the update list, and maybe just to remember that we all possess the potential to create a little magic, mystery and beauty in this strange world.
