Laura Today is the first anniversary of Laura Samuel’s passing. My string quartet ‘Laura’ is being premiered this lunchtime at the Elgar Concert Hall in Birmingham university by the Kleio Quartet. Commissioned by radio 3 and the Henry Barber trust. Laura would have been so pleased that these very talented young musicians would be playing a new piece in her memory. Laura was the most generous human I ever met. She radiated kindness and warmth. I was lucky enough to work with her with the Nash Ensemble but she also got me a commission for the Belcea Quartet. (Which she co-founded) Sadly she’d left to lead the BBCSSO up in Scotland by the time it was premiered so I never got to work with her on it. I hope my new piece does justice to this wonderful musician. I will always remember you Laura, with great fondness and admiration.
@kleio.quartet@belcea_quartet@bbcsso@booseyandhawkes
Thank you to everyone @glyndebourne for a fantastic world premiere of The Railway Children. A great production with a first rate team.
For a composer to work with one outstanding librettist in your operatic lifetime but to work with two in succession on Festen and Railway Children shows I am very very lucky. Lee Hall is such a brilliant writer and special person but Railway Children was Rachael Hewer’s first libretto which is remarkable. Rachael is a huge talent. Both of them are writers who are steeped in theatre and know what words work for music. A very rare gift. I hope I rose to their brilliance. It is amazing I found them. Expect future collaborations with both of them if I have enough years left in me.
First photo is by @robey_victoria without whom the opera would never have existed, and the second one is by @pablostrong who caught us both on a very good day
#traditionalgreen #burgerandfries
@rachael.hewer@booseyandhawkes
Lee Hall and I at the Olivier Awards, 2025
Festen won the award for Best New Opera Production and Allan Clayton won the award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera. Very grateful, very proud
@royalballetandopera@booseyandhawkes
#olivierawards
#contemporaryopera
#contemporarycomposer
#awardstime
I’m not a person of words, and I can find very few at this moment. I just wanted to say this:
Festen was the most amazing and important musical and creative experience I have ever had.
Thank you to everyone, including:
Planning department
Company management
Management of RBO
Stage management
Onstage crew
Changeover team
Movement directors
Intimacy directors
Dramatherapists
Fight director
Director and assistant directors
Stage door
Security
Everyone who keeps the building clean and safe
Children
Everyone who looks after the children
Chaperones
Designers - set, costume, lighting, video
Building and construction
Workshops
Props
Makers - props, costume, wigs, jewellery, shoes
Electrics department
Follow spots
Board ops
Running WHAM (you make the sun shine brighter than Doris Day)
Automation
Sound department (who could forget that car horn)
Orchestra
Orchestra management
Pit management
Surtitles
Music library
Music preparation
Repetiteurs
Conductor
Assistant conductor
Dialect coach
Photographers
Publicity and marketing
Programme content/designers
Front of house
Box office
Bar staff
Kitchen staff
Programme and ice cream sellers
Cast
Covers
Actors
Chorus
Chorus Director
Chorus manager
And my fellow Writer
Here is very first sketch of the opening bars, written just over four years ago
@royalballetandopera
It’s the Dress Rehearsal of Festen. Can’t explain how much this experience has meant to me, and how much I appreciate every person involved. @royalballetandopera
#contemporaryopera
#newmusic
#festen
#operatime
In conversation with a composer 🎶
Ahead of the world premiere of Festen on 11 February, we spoke to Mark-Anthony Turnage about composing a brand new opera, where decorum descends into chaos.
From taking inspiration from Thomas Vinterberg's classic film, to the differences between composing for opera and ballet, keep watching for an insight into the creative process.
#TheRoyalOpera #Opera #Festen #MarkAnthonyTurnage
Angelika and Seiff. Two brilliant people working hard behind the scenes @londonsymphonyorchestra
Our orchestras and arts organisations wouldn’t get anywhere without wonderful people like Angelika and Seiff, and these are two of the best. I feel very lucky and privileged to have worked with them last week @barbicancentre and on tour in Paris and Luxembourg with Sir Simon Rattle and John Scofield
@kikaglod@seifffff
#newmusic
#guitarconcerto
#johnscofield
#appreciationtime
My thanks to Sir Simon Rattle @londonsymphonyorchestra and to John Scofield for a fantastic premiere of Sco last night
#newmusic
#johnscofield
#guitarconcerto
#premieretime
In rehearsal today for my new piece “Sco”; with and for my friend John Scofield. Conducted by Sir Simon Rattle with @londonsymphonyorchestra - premiere is tomorrow @barbicancentre
#newmusic
#guitarconcerto
#johnscofield
#concertotime
