BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Talks.cam//talks.cam.ac.uk//
X-WR-CALNAME:Talks.cam
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:A discussion of Benjamin’s opera\, Written on Skin Written on Sk
 in will receive its UK premiere at the Royal Opera House on 8 March 2013. 
 - George Benjamin in conversation with Richard Causton (University of Camb
 ridge)
DTSTART:20130313T170000Z
DTEND:20130313T180000Z
UID:TALK42894@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:30200
DESCRIPTION:George Benjamin will be interviewed by Richard Causton about B
 enjamin's new opera\, Written on Skin\, which is receiving its UK premiere
  by the Royal Opera House on 8 March.\n\nAbstract\nWhen Written on Skin ha
 d its premiere at the 2012 Festival d'Aix-en-Provence\, conducted by Georg
 e Benjamin himself\, it received a standing ovation. The opera's arrival a
 t Covent Garden in 2013 is eagerly anticipated\, and provides audiences wi
 th the opportunity to experience the work of two of Britain's greatest liv
 ing artists. Benjamin previously collaborated with playwright Martin Crimp
  on Into the Little Hill\, a magical retelling of the Pied Piper fairytale
 \, and for this new work they join forces with acclaimed stage director Ka
 tie Mitchell. For all three artists\, the production marks their main-stag
 e debut at the Royal Opera House.\n\nIn the opera\, a powerful Protector c
 ommissions a young artist to create an illuminated book to celebrate his p
 ower. The book sparks the rebellion of the Protector’s submissive wife A
 gnès\, setting the scene for an extraordinary act of revenge. Written on 
 Skin draws on a 12th-century Occitan legend about the troubadour Guillaume
  de Cabestanh. The story's enduring themes of love\, passion and violence 
 are given a very contemporary twist: mysterious 21st-century angels watch 
 over the enfolding drama\, while Mitchell's inventive staging combines anc
 ient and modern elements. Benjamin harnesses an array of diverse instrumen
 ts – including glass harmonica\, cowbells and mandolins – in a strikin
 gly beautiful and rich score\, complemented by Crimp’s poetic text.\n\nT
 he season will run 8-22 March\, 2013.\n\nFor more information about the op
 era (and for links to related pages and interviews)\, see: http://www.roh.
 org.uk/productions/written-on-skin-by-katie-mitchell\nAlso\, http://www.ro
 h.org.uk/news/george-benjamins-written-on-skin-sex-death-and-unusual-instr
 umentation\n
LOCATION:Recital Room\, Faculty of Music\, West Road
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR