Former Blondie bass player (and occult enthusiast) Gary Lachman writes about James MacMillan’s new opera based on the life of 17th-century witch Isobel Gowdie of Nairn.

“James MacMillan’s powerful work, The Confession of Isobel Gowdie, which is played by the London Symphony Orchestra tomorrow as part of the Proms season, has been called a kind of requiem for Gowdie, a memorial to the persecution that many women ? and some men ? caught up in the “witch craze” of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries were subjected to. It is estimated that across Europe 40,000 died in these “burning times”. And when it came to torture and execution Scotland had few rivals.”

Lachman ponders what could have made Gowdie freely confess her “witchcraft” in an age when such an admission could mean torture and death.

“Did Gowdie and the others really kill these people? At this point it is likely we’ll never know. But why confess? She concealed her activities for 15 years, and could have kept up the pretence. Maybe she truly believed in her fantasy. Perhaps she thought confession would lead to salvation. Or, given her vivid imagination, it may show that she was mentally unbalanced. Gowdie will remain something of a mystery ? but the power to inspire artists three centuries after her death is magic in itself.”

I suppose I could say something about the repressive culture that would produce such admissions of “satanic” activity, but I suppose the crossed cultural streams of witchcraft trials, opera, and the opinions of a new wave musician is good enough for now. You can pick up an audio copy of the opera, here.

Tags: Paganism