21st Century Opera

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

2017

Elements

20171204

In conversation with novelist, critic and opera librettist Paul Griffiths, Donald Macleod gives opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well in the 21st century. Today they consider works by Philip Glass, Kaija Saariaho, Heiner Goebbels and George Benjamin that retain traditional elements.

The Trial: Act 1 scene 2b

Johnny Herford, baritone (Josef K.)

Amanda Forbes, soprano (Fr䀀ulein Bürstner)

Music Theatre Wales Ensemble

ɀmilie Suite: Contre l'oubli (Against oblivion)

Karen Vourc'h, soprano

Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Orchestra National

Marko Letonja, conductor

Landschaft mit entfernten Verwandten (Landscape with Distant Relatives):

- Part One no 9, 'Homme-bombe

- Part One no 10, 'Schlachtenbeschreibung

David Bennent, voice

Georg Nigl, baritone

Ensemble Modern

Deutscher Kammerchor

Franck Ollu, conductor

Written on Skin: Part 1 scenes 4, 6 and 10

Barbara Hannigan, soprano (Agn耀s)

Bejun Mehta, countertenor (The Boy)

Mahler Chamber Orchestra

George Benjamin, conductor.

Donald Macleod gives 21st century opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well.

2017

Myth

20171205

In conversation with novelist, critic and opera librettist Paul Griffiths, Donald Macleod gives opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well in the 21st century. Today they consider works by Harrison Birtwistle, James Dillon, Louis Andriessen, Jonathan Harvey and Karlheinz Stockhausen that either draw on or create their own myth.

The Minotaur: Scene 5, extract

John Tomlinson, bass (The Minotaur)

Rebecca Bottone, soprano (First Innocent / Young Woman #1)

Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

Antonio Pappano, conductor

Philomela: Act 3 scene 3 - The Violation

Anu Komsi, soprano (Philomela)

Remix Ensemble

Jurjen Hempel, conductor

La Commedia: Part IV - The Garden of Earthly Delights, excerpt

Marcel Beekman, tenor (Casella)

Cristina Zavalloni, voice (Dante)

Asko Ensemble

Sch怀nberg Ensemble

Reinbert de Leeuw, conductor

Wagner Dream: Scene 8, excerpt

Claire Booth (Prakriti)

Rebecca de Pont Davies (Mother)

Richard Angas (Old Brahmin)

Gordon Gietz (Ananda)

Dale Duesing (Buddha)

Johann Leysen, speaker (Wagner)

Bracha van Doesburgh, speaker (Carrie Pringle)

Ictus Ensemble

Martyn Brabbins, conductor

Düfte - Zeichen (Scents - Signs), for 7 vocalists, boy's voice and synthesizer, from Sonntag aus Licht; excerpt

Isolde Siebert, high soprano

Ksenija Luki?, soprano

Susanne Otto, alto

Hubert Mayer, high tenor

Bernhard G䀀rtner, tenor

Jonathan de la Paz Zaens, baritone

Nicholas Isherwood, bass

Antonio P退rez Abellကn, synthesizer

Karlheinz Stockhausen, musical supervision and sound projection.

Donald Macleod gives 21st century opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well.

2017

Shakespeare

20171206

In conversation with novelist, critic and opera librettist Paul Griffiths, Donald Macleod gives opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well in the 21st century. Today they consider the enduring attraction of Shakespeare in two very different works by Thomas Ad耀s and Salvatore Sciarrino.

The Tempest: Act 1 scene 5 - 'Five fathoms deep

Cyndia Sieden, soprano (Ariel)

The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Thomas Ad耀s, conductor

Macbeth: Act 2 scene 2

Otto Katzameier, baritone (Macbeth)

Anna Radziejewski, mezzo-soprano (Lady Macbeth)

Volkalensemble NOVA

Klangforum Wein

Evan Christ, conductor

The Tempest: Act 2 scene 2

Graeme Danby, bass (Gonzalo)

Philip Langridge, tenor (King of Naples)

Simon Keenlyside, baritone (Prospero)

Stephen Richardson, bass baritone (Stefano)

David Cordier, countertenor (Trinculo)

Ian Bostridge, tenor (Caliban)

The Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Macbeth: Act 3 scene 3, Congedo

Thomas Mehnert, bass (Macduff)

The Tempest: Act 2 scene 4

Toby Spence, tenor (Ferdinand)

Kate Royal, soprano (Miranda)

Thomas Ad耀s, conductor.

Donald Macleod gives 21st century opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well.

2017

Comedy

20171207

In conversation with novelist, critic and opera librettist Paul Griffiths, Donald Macleod gives opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well in the 21st century. Today they consider works by Philippe Boesmans, Brian Ferneyhough and Gerald Barry that in different ways and to varying degrees fall within the tradition of comic opera.

The Importance of Being Earnest:

Act 2, conclusion - 'And this is what you call Bunburying!?

Peter Tantsits, tenor (Jack Worthing)

Joshua Bloom, baritone (Algernon Moncrieff)

Birmingham Contemporary Music Group

Thomas Ad耀s, conductor

Yvonne, princesse de Bourgogne: Act 4 scene 2

Paul Gay, bass-baritone (Le Roi Ignace)

Victor von Halem, bass (Le Chambellan)

Mireille Delunsch, soprano (Le Reine Marguerite)

Klangforum Wien

Sylvain Cambreling, conductor

Shadowtime: Scene 5 - Pools of Darkness (11 Interrogations)

Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart

Nieuw Ensemble

Jurjen Hempel, conductor

The Importance of Being Earnest: Act 2, excerpt

Barbara Hannigan, soprano (Cecily Cardew)

Hilary Summers, contralto (Miss Prism)

Joshua Hart, speaker (Dr Chasuble)

Thomas Ad耀s, conductor.

Donald Macleod finds opera to be alive and well in the 21st century.

2017

05 LAST

Time

20171208

In conversation with novelist, critic and opera librettist Paul Griffiths, Donald Macleod gives opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well in the 21st century. Today they consider works by Detlev Glanert, Pascal Dusapin, Olga Neuwirth and Georg Friedrich Haas in which the element of time is fundamental.

Morgen und Abend: Act 1, excerpt

Klaus Maria Brandauer, actor (Olai)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

Michael Boder, conductor

Caligula: Act 2 scene 7, excerpt

Michaela Schuster, soprano (Caesonia)

Jurgita Adamonyte, mezzo (Scipio)

Hans-Jürgen Lazar, tenor (Mucius)

Gregory Frank, baritone (Cherea)

Ashley Holland, baritone (Caligula)

Dietrich Volle, baritone (Mereia)

Martin W怀lfel, countertenor (Helicon)

Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester

Markus Stenz, conductor

Perel

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
2017	01	Elements	20171204	In conversation with novelist, critic and opera librettist Paul Griffiths, Donald Macleod gives opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well in the 21st century. Today they consider works by Philip Glass, Kaija Saariaho, Heiner Goebbels and George Benjamin that retain traditional elements. The Trial: Act 1 scene 2b Johnny Herford, baritone (Josef K.) Amanda Forbes, soprano (Fr䀀ulein Bürstner) Music Theatre Wales Ensemble ɀmilie Suite: Contre l'oubli (Against oblivion) Karen Vourc'h, soprano Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Orchestra National Marko Letonja, conductor Landschaft mit entfernten Verwandten (Landscape with Distant Relatives): - Part One no 9, 'Homme-bombe - Part One no 10, 'Schlachtenbeschreibung David Bennent, voice Georg Nigl, baritone Ensemble Modern Deutscher Kammerchor Franck Ollu, conductor Written on Skin: Part 1 scenes 4, 6 and 10 Barbara Hannigan, soprano (Agn耀s) Bejun Mehta, countertenor (The Boy) Mahler Chamber Orchestra George Benjamin, conductor. Donald Macleod gives 21st century opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well.
2017	02	Myth	20171205	In conversation with novelist, critic and opera librettist Paul Griffiths, Donald Macleod gives opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well in the 21st century. Today they consider works by Harrison Birtwistle, James Dillon, Louis Andriessen, Jonathan Harvey and Karlheinz Stockhausen that either draw on or create their own myth. The Minotaur: Scene 5, extract John Tomlinson, bass (The Minotaur) Rebecca Bottone, soprano (First Innocent / Young Woman #1) Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Antonio Pappano, conductor Philomela: Act 3 scene 3 - The Violation Anu Komsi, soprano (Philomela) Remix Ensemble Jurjen Hempel, conductor La Commedia: Part IV - The Garden of Earthly Delights, excerpt Marcel Beekman, tenor (Casella) Cristina Zavalloni, voice (Dante) Asko Ensemble Sch怀nberg Ensemble Reinbert de Leeuw, conductor Wagner Dream: Scene 8, excerpt Claire Booth (Prakriti) Rebecca de Pont Davies (Mother) Richard Angas (Old Brahmin) Gordon Gietz (Ananda) Dale Duesing (Buddha) Johann Leysen, speaker (Wagner) Bracha van Doesburgh, speaker (Carrie Pringle) Ictus Ensemble Martyn Brabbins, conductor Düfte - Zeichen (Scents - Signs), for 7 vocalists, boy's voice and synthesizer, from Sonntag aus Licht; excerpt Isolde Siebert, high soprano Ksenija Luki?, soprano Susanne Otto, alto Hubert Mayer, high tenor Bernhard G䀀rtner, tenor Jonathan de la Paz Zaens, baritone Nicholas Isherwood, bass Antonio P退rez Abellကn, synthesizer Karlheinz Stockhausen, musical supervision and sound projection. Donald Macleod gives 21st century opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well.
2017	03	Shakespeare	20171206	In conversation with novelist, critic and opera librettist Paul Griffiths, Donald Macleod gives opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well in the 21st century. Today they consider the enduring attraction of Shakespeare in two very different works by Thomas Ad耀s and Salvatore Sciarrino. The Tempest: Act 1 scene 5 - 'Five fathoms deep Cyndia Sieden, soprano (Ariel) The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Thomas Ad耀s, conductor Macbeth: Act 2 scene 2 Otto Katzameier, baritone (Macbeth) Anna Radziejewski, mezzo-soprano (Lady Macbeth) Volkalensemble NOVA Klangforum Wein Evan Christ, conductor The Tempest: Act 2 scene 2 Graeme Danby, bass (Gonzalo) Philip Langridge, tenor (King of Naples) Simon Keenlyside, baritone (Prospero) Stephen Richardson, bass baritone (Stefano) David Cordier, countertenor (Trinculo) Ian Bostridge, tenor (Caliban) The Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House Macbeth: Act 3 scene 3, Congedo Thomas Mehnert, bass (Macduff) The Tempest: Act 2 scene 4 Toby Spence, tenor (Ferdinand) Kate Royal, soprano (Miranda) Thomas Ad耀s, conductor. Donald Macleod gives 21st century opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well.
2017	04	Comedy	20171207	In conversation with novelist, critic and opera librettist Paul Griffiths, Donald Macleod gives opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well in the 21st century. Today they consider works by Philippe Boesmans, Brian Ferneyhough and Gerald Barry that in different ways and to varying degrees fall within the tradition of comic opera. The Importance of Being Earnest: Act 2, conclusion - 'And this is what you call Bunburying!? Peter Tantsits, tenor (Jack Worthing) Joshua Bloom, baritone (Algernon Moncrieff) Birmingham Contemporary Music Group Thomas Ad耀s, conductor Yvonne, princesse de Bourgogne: Act 4 scene 2 Paul Gay, bass-baritone (Le Roi Ignace) Victor von Halem, bass (Le Chambellan) Mireille Delunsch, soprano (Le Reine Marguerite) Klangforum Wien Sylvain Cambreling, conductor Shadowtime: Scene 5 - Pools of Darkness (11 Interrogations) Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart Nieuw Ensemble Jurjen Hempel, conductor The Importance of Being Earnest: Act 2, excerpt Barbara Hannigan, soprano (Cecily Cardew) Hilary Summers, contralto (Miss Prism) Joshua Hart, speaker (Dr Chasuble) Thomas Ad耀s, conductor. Donald Macleod finds opera to be alive and well in the 21st century.
2017	05 LAST	Time	20171208	In conversation with novelist, critic and opera librettist Paul Griffiths, Donald Macleod gives opera a health-check, and finds it to be alive and well in the 21st century. Today they consider works by Detlev Glanert, Pascal Dusapin, Olga Neuwirth and Georg Friedrich Haas in which the element of time is fundamental. Morgen und Abend: Act 1, excerpt Klaus Maria Brandauer, actor (Olai) Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Michael Boder, conductor Caligula: Act 2 scene 7, excerpt Michaela Schuster, soprano (Caesonia) Jurgita Adamonyte, mezzo (Scipio) Hans-Jürgen Lazar, tenor (Mucius) Gregory Frank, baritone (Cherea) Ashley Holland, baritone (Caligula) Dietrich Volle, baritone (Mereia) Martin W怀lfel, countertenor (Helicon) Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester Markus Stenz, conductor Perel