Antony Hegarty’s music has never been for the faint of heart. As the main creative force behind Antony and the Johnsons, Hegarty gives voice and sweeping orchestration to both his anguish and his exultation with such raw, delicate urgency that you can’t help but be swept up in his unvarnished emotions. And while music lovers have given more attention and accolades to Hegarty’s stirring music, Antony has continued to push his creative parameters while consistently challenging himself by collaborating with creative artists who bring a different dimension to his songs and distinct voice. And of course the first full-length live album by Antony and the Johnsons, Cut The World, was never bound to be a straightforward concert recording, with Hegarty’s gorgeous songs and an unconventional spoken-word piece giving us a direct glimpse into his creative heart and mind.

The live set was recorded in Denmark with the Danish National Chamber Orchestra, who consistently do a lovely job augmenting Antony’s already ornate numbers while always letting him remain the star of the show. Wisely, the audience’s cheering and clapping has been edited out until the very end, allowing the heart-rending poignancy of each number to linger in the air after the track draws to a close. The performance begins with a moving rendition of ‘Cut The World,’ which Hegarty originally wrote for the opera The Life And Times Of Marina Abramović. It’s a touching ode from one artist to another, and is delivered with a rich passion that allows the breathtaking song to fully take flight.

Next up is a nearly eight-minute spoken word piece, ‘Future Feminism,’ in which Hegarty remarks about the tie between the moon and menstruation, his thoughts about there being a female deity, and also opens up about his strict Catholic upbringing: “I remember praying to God when I was like six years old… I prayed really hard and I waited and waited to hear that summons. I think, in a funny way, a lot of my music I’m listening for that response still.” It’s a revealing moment for Antony on a night full of them, and allows for him to clear out some of the thoughts in his head before he gets further into his performance.

And from there Antony’s elegant songs are simply stellar and soar right along with his exquisite vocals and the orchestra’s majestic support. ‘Cripple And The Starfish’ is stunning in its unconcealed sentiments, while ‘You Are My Sister’ is a rousing, unifying anthem for the alienated or the lost. The orchestral arrangements were composed by Antony along with Nico Muhly and Rob Moose, and they consistently add another lush emotional layer to songs that are already packed full of passion as well as pain. ‘Swanlights’ and ‘Epilepsy Is Dancing’ form the middle core of the album, and perfectly illustrate the subtle restraint that the orchestra shows to Antony’s songs, delivering surprising but understated edges to the music while Hegarty guides the songs heavenward.

‘Another World’ drags ever so slightly, counting too much on Antony’s restrained piano rolls to carry the song, which never really resonates. But that is a rare misstep in this performance, as the dynamic, rhythmic pulse of ‘Kiss My Name’ ignites the second half of the disc, which carries over into a truly euphoric, heartbreaking version of ‘I Fell In Love With A Dead Boy’. ‘The Rapture’ is soulful and fervid, and one of the clear standout tracks of the performance. Antony really loses himself in the spiralling emotion of the number, and the orchestra follows right along with him, colouring the song with their absorbing arrangements.

The album draws to a close with the striking combination of ‘The Crying Light’ and ‘Twilight,’ which both draw on moments of illumination amidst the darkness, and bring the set to a grand, elegant conclusion. You get the sense that the ovation that follows ‘Twilight’ continued on for quite a while, with the stunned fans finally able to give full voice to the remarkable performance they just witnessed. As long as Antony Hegarty keeps letting us in to his consistently astonishing creative endeavours, those moments of adulation will hopefully continue to lift him up much in the same way that he elevates his listeners.

Listen to Cut the World