The most powerful and original opera yet to have emerged this century. Sir harrison birtwistle biography and works on the ue website publisher of his music until 1994 photographs in the national portrait gallery. New york times bestselling author paige shelton returns with the next. Harrison birtwistles operas and music theatre by david beard. Its a bold argument to make, but this is the contention of harrison birtwistle and david harsents 2008 opera. London an interview with birtwistle about the minotaur. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Theseus arrives in crete with a boatload of young athenians to be sacrificed to the.
The minotaur, royal opera house on its premiere five years ago birtwistle s the minotaur proved a bracing shock to the system. Minotaur is urgently recommended to any lover of modern opera, and for those with the highdefinition equipment to enjoy its clear advantages, bluray is the medium of choice. The score is modernistic, and the scenes fall into three. Due to a very high order volume and a smaller staff than usual, your order will take 24 business days to process.
What he focuses on, with david harsents libretto in tow, is a level of unpredictable brashness within all its moving parts, compiling into a descent into the minotaurs labyrinth thats as visually stunning while surrounded by the mazes tethered walls. Even the end of the minotaur is dazzlingly reaffirmed in this manner compared with somewhat fussy myth adaptations such as ulisse by dallapiccola or some of henzes late works, birtwistle demonstrates absolutely the hand of a heady, heavyweight storytellerinsound frankfurter rundschau. Harrison birtwistle s the minotaur, to a libretto by david harsent, was premiered at the royal opera house, covent garden, in april 2008. Pride of place must go to sir john tomlinson, who produced an astonishing singing and acting performance as the half and half the minotaur of the operas title. Harrison birtwistle was born on july 15, 1934 in accrington, lancashire, england. Such is the respect that the composer commands that this new opera can be considered as a national cultural event, as indeed it has been by parts of the media. Harrison birtwistle s biography on nmc recordings harrison birtwistle biography.
The work, a retelling of the greek myth of the minotaur, premiered at the royal opera house on 15 april 2008 under the stage direction of stephen langridge. Nights black bird the shadow of night the cry of anubis. With harrison birtwistle s the minotaur returning to the royal opera house, we caught up with conductor ryan wigglesworth to how he is approaching a modern m. He talks revealingly to fiona maddocks in this extract from her new book. The world premiere of the minotaur by composer harrison birtwistle and librettist david harsent, commissioned by the royal opera, brings the greek mythological character to the stage. The minotaur, royal opera house, london the independent. Stephen langridge directed the production for the stage, and antonio pappano conducted the orchestra. The minotaur was the mythical beast, halfman, halfbull, imprisoned in the labyrinth on the island of crete.
Grames harrison birtwistle the minotaur bluray disc version the minotaur john tomlinson theseus johan reuter ariadne christine rice. John tomlinson, johan reuter, christine rice, philip langridge, andrew watts, amanda echalaz, the royal opera. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. This article offers a synopsis, a diary of rehearsals for. The minotaur premiered at the royal opera house in 2008 and here, for its first revival over four years later, the three central singers made welcome returns to their respective roles. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus.
The minotaur is an opera in two acts, with scenes by english composer harrison birtwistle to a libretto by poet david harsent, commissioned by the royal opera house in london. They are aided by a surprisingly cuddly performance from john tomlinson. Revivals of 21st century operas on the stages of major houses are rarer than hens teeth, so the royal opera were making a strong statement when they announced the revival of harrison birtwistle s 2008 the minotaur, with the original director and much of the original cast we all know the story. This opera by british composer harrison birtwistle b. John tomlinson the minotaur, johan reuter theseus, christine rice ariadne. The libretto is by david harsent, who wrote the libretto for gawain, birtwistles opera first staged in 1991. Myth, birtwistle recognizes, can supply just what the opera composer requires. The minotaur is the second opera our royal opera has commissioned from birtwistle and harsent, the first being gawain in 1991. Fleshtearing, womanraping, bodygoring brute he may be, but hes misunderstood, that minotaur.
Anything birtwistle writes is going to be significant, as. Since it is, the book can be unreservedly recommended for anyone interested in this corner of contemporary music. A guide to harrison birtwistles music music the guardian. Harrison birtwistle s new opera the minotaur, which received its premiere at the royal opera house, covent garden, in 2008, harps on the possibility that the monster in the maze half man, half bull and theseus, who slays him, are both sons of poseidon. Impressive but sterile by david karlin, 18 january 20 revivals of 21st century operas on the stages of major houses are rarer than hens teeth, so the royal opera were making a strong statement when they announced the revival of harrison birtwistles 2008 the minotaur, with the original director and much of the original cast. He was the offspring of pasiphae, wife to king minos. The minotaur the royal opera by jonathan haswell john. Recorded live at the royal opera house covent garden 25 and 30 april and 3 may 2008. The third star in the fateful constellation is ariadne, halfsister through their.
Buy the minotaur by harrison birtwistle from waterstones today. Harrison birtwistles opera the minotaur has all the terrifying power of greek tragedy, writes sameer rahim. Even were harrison birtwistle s operas and music theatre not so well written by such a perceptive and wellqualified author as david beard, it would be a definitive study. His voice may no longer be as steady as it was, but his singing could not be more moving. Partman partbeast, the minotaur is trapped in the labyrinth, and longs. The scotsman blooddrenched and sorrowful, majestic and raw, the minotaur plunders the extremes of human nature in music of coruscating, storming beautylow woodwind, sensuous strings and the spangly clatter of the cimbalom colour the orchestra in sombre, glistening tones. As harrison birtwistle transforms it into an opera, salley vickers explores its labyrinthine.
He is known for his work on the offence 1973, the great ecstasy of robert carmichael 2005 and aeschylus oresteia tony harrison adaptation, the national theatre 1983. A story of bestial lusts, rage and riddles, the minotaur myth has fascinated generations of artists. This intense performance of contemporary composer harrison birtwistle s visceral opera about the greek mythological creature is captured with a. Thats the origin of asterious asterion story, the halfandhalf child of the gods and the focus of harrison birtwistles highlyanticipated opera, the minotaur. The premiere of harrison birtwistle s the minotaur sent out shockwaves. The minotaur opened at the royal opera house at covent garden in london on april 15, 2008, and was filmed for dvd at performances during that first run in late april and early may. Harrison birtwistles latest opera, the minotaur, is powerful and effective. Ryan wigglesworth on conducting the minotaur with the. Birtwistle s biggest operas have not travelled abroad until now, so it is good news that gawain will be seen at this summers salzburg festival, though the minotaur is a stronger work. This stylish revival of harrison birtwistles gruesome masterpiece confirms its extraordinary power, writes erica jeal. John tomlinson the minotaur, johan reuter theseus, christine rice ariadne, andrew watts snake priestess, philip langridge hiereus, amanda echalaz ker, rebecca bottone, pumeza matshikiza, wendy dawn thompson, christopher ainslie, tim mead innocents. Salley vickers on the minotaur myth books the guardian. Composer harrison birtwistle and librettist david harsent return to greek mythology for the story of the minotaur, the halfman halfbull monster imprisoned in the labyrinth. Bill cooper the premiere of harrison birtwistles long awaited new opera the minotaur, written in.
Harrison birtwistles the minotaur, to a libretto by david harsent, was premiered at the royal opera house, covent garden, in april 2008. Birtwistle s the minotaur, the opera and a diary of its first production rhian samuel abstract. As harrison birtwistle transforms it into an opera. Harrison birtwistle is one of the worlds greatest living composers, as well as the most reticent. Soloists, orchestra and chorus of the royal opera, ryan wigglesworth conductor, covent garden, london 17. Birtwistle was commissioned by the roh to write an opera, and he wrote it for the great bass john tomlinson, one of the alltime great wotans. He is the minotaur, his halfsister ariadne is sung by soprano christine rice, and the third major character, theseus, is sung by tenor johan reuter. Antonio pappano the orchestra of the royal opera house, the royal opera chorus.
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