Mezzo-soprano Rachel Payne talks London return of ‘Lamplight Concerts’: “An unfamiliar song can open a door you weren’t expecting”

Following last October’s performance at the Actor’s Church, piano-voice duo Jack Tyndale-Biscoe and Rachel Payne (Duo Atlantis) return to the venue with a holiday-themed repertoire. Guillermo Nazara chats with the singer about the show’s creation, its latest iteration, and its concept of merging deco and music into a unified, transporting theatrical experience.

How does it feel to bring the show back for the holiday season?

Jack and I are so excited to return to the Actors’ Church, especially at Christmas. After our October performances, we began thinking about how the show could change with the season. Light already plays such an important part in Lamplight, and at this time of year it carries so many associations: warmth, hope, memory, and celebration. After the 25th of November performance in London, we then take the Lamplight Concerts to Prague, Vienna and Budapest.

How did the idea for the show come about?

Jack and I love the intimacy of art song: one voice, one piano, and a story unfolding between them. We wanted to create an evening that preserved that closeness while giving audiences a world to step into.

We’re both drawn to music from around the turn of the 20th century, and the lamps connect beautifully with that period. They became a way of bringing the music and the visual setting together. For the Christmas edition, we’ve built on that idea with a programme that moves through Christmas past, present, and yet to come.

Apart from its setting, what do you think makes this production unique compared to other classical music recitals?

The lamps aren’t simply decor around a recital; they are dynamic and ever-changing with the various songs. The stained-glass lamps shape the atmosphere and the way the evening unfolds.

There’s also a real sense of storytelling. Each piece has its own life, but it contributes to a larger journey. You don’t need to know the composers or understand another language to connect with a song about love, longing, or hope. I want people to feel welcome to respond in their own way.

The show features an eclectic classical repertoire ranging from Puccini to Debussy and Rachmaninoff. What are the reasons behind this selection?

Those composers were part of the musical world we explored in October. Jack and I enjoy bringing together pieces that might look quite different on paper but have something to say to one another emotionally.

For the Christmas edition, we’ve reshaped the programme around the season. There are familiar pieces, including “Carol of the Bells” and “O Holy Night,” alongside music that audiences may be discovering for the first time. I like that balance. Something familiar can bring back a very personal memory, while an unfamiliar song can open a door you weren’t expecting.

How would you describe the journey you intend to take audiences on?

We move through Christmas past, present, and yet to come. That gives us room for nostalgia and joy, but also for reflection on the world we’re celebrating in and what we hope for.

Christmas can hold several feelings at once. It can be wonderful, but it can also make us very aware of people we miss or things we wish were different. I wanted to make space for those feelings as well as the celebration, and ultimately leave people with a sense of warmth and possibility.

What particular challenges have you found in this performance?

One challenge is making the transitions feel natural when the music asks very different things of you, both vocally and emotionally. You have to give each piece its own space while keeping the thread of the evening.

For the Christmas programme, there’s also the balance between familiarity and discovery. We want to honour the music people love around the holidays without relying entirely on nostalgia. And with the lighting and the additional musicians, there are more elements to bring together while preserving the intimacy that makes Lamplight special.

Are there any highlights that you would like to flag?

Dragon’s Blood is very special to us. It’s a four-part song cycle written for Duo Atlantis by Bear McCreary, with words by JD Payne, which we premiered at Carnegie Hall. It follows a hopeful young boy as he confronts what will be asked of him as he grows up, with the cello acting almost as a second voice.

It brings another dimension to Christmas present: looking at a child’s hopes and the cost of things we often take for granted. Alongside that, I’m looking forward to the warmth of the Brahms songs and to “O Holy Night.” Having a cellist and percussionist with us adds new colours and characters.

Why come see Lamplight Concerts?

Because it’s a chance to spend an evening sharing something really unique and beautiful, surrounded by lovely music and light, away from the rush of Christmas for a little while.

You can come knowing every piece or none of them. There will be familiar melodies, discoveries, and I hope, moments that stay with you afterward. We’d love people to leave feeling that they’ve shared something warm and meaningful with us.

Lamplight Concerts will play at London’s St. Paul’s Church (Covent Garden) on 25 November. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara