'The Ghost Of Time' Mini Documentary

'Confronted with turning 'Great Southern Land', a seminal song about the nature of Australia, into a 40 minute composition, Iva Davies developed the idea of drawing together composers and musicians from all over the world to produce a complex collaborative work. The idea was to turn 'Great Southern Land' into a piece of music which, in the minutes before midnight when the clock turned over from 1999 to 2000, was performed on the Northern Forecourt of Sydney's Opera House. It was broadcast around Australia on the Millennium Eve and then it became part of Australia's contribution to the vast international Millenium Eve celebration which was broadcast live worldwide. Using a rewritten and expanded version of 'Great Southern Land' as the composition's centrepiece, Davies had called upon a number of musician-composers to develop the larger work 'The Ghost of Time'. Richard Tognetti, virtuoso violinist and Director of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, had collaborated extensively on the piece. Award winning Australian composer Christopher Gordon has written additional material inspired by the long, 'endless horizon' opening to the original song. The Japanese avant techno unit Rom=Pari also contributed as is ex-Icehouse turned Pink Floyd bass player Guy Pratt and a group of Taiko drummers. The composition was performed on Millennium Eve by a musical 'group' comprising the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Richard Tognetti on electric violin, Guy Pratt on electric bass, Rom=Pari, a group of Taiko drummers and Iva Davies on vocals and electric guitar. The performance was also accompanied by the 'Harbour of Light' Lantern Parade, a parade around the harbour foreshore of giant sea creatures, each the size of a 3 storey building, made from silk and steel and lit internally. 'The Ghost Of Time' was also released on CD in the weeks prior to the end of 1999. 'The Ghost of Time' gives notice that Iva Davies is moving into a new phase in his career' - City Of Sydney 1999

This mini documentary, produced as part of 'The Opera House Project', celebrates the musical composition of 'The Ghost Of Time' and the dedication and hard work that it brang to make Sydney the New Year's Eve Capital of the World on the 31st December 1999.

Footage from 'The Opera House Project' and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.