Harrison Birtwistle is one of the leading European figures in contemporary music * Works combine modernist aesthetic with mythic power and emotional impact * Inspiration from contemporary art and the rituals of classical mythology and pre-history * Recent works include Panic composed for the Last Night of the BBC Proms and The Shadow of Night commissioned by the Cleveland Orchestra * Noted Birtwistle conductors include Boulez, Howarth, Eötvös, Knussen, Rattle, Bamert, Dohnányi and Barenboim * Winner of 1986 Grawemeyer Award and 1995 Siemens Prize * Recordings on Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Teldec, Etcetera, NMC, Black Box and CPO
Works by Harrison Birtwistle include: Pulse Shadows (1989-96) for soprano, chamber ensemble and string quartet The Last Supper (1998-99) Dramatic tableaux for 14 soloists, small female chorus, chamber orchestra and tape Theseus Game (2002) for large ensemble and two conductors
Looking Ahead: world premiere of new stagework, The Minotaur, to a libretto by David Harsent, at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden conducted by Antonio Pappano (15 Apr); Tree of Strings for the Arditti Quartet (Witten, 27 Apr); feature at Settembre Musica in Turin and Milan, including The Last Supper (Sep); German premiere of The Io Passion in Berlin (Nov)
View a video podcast of David Harsent introducing The Minotaur.
"A great original ... one of the most gifted composers of his generation." — The Times
