Stephen McNeff News
Northern Irish composer
- opera
- Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom
- composer
Last update
2024-04-24
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2024-04-22 09:09:00
The Celestial Stranger: new song cycle inspired by Thomas Traherne's recently discovered manuscript
[…] catalogued as anonymous. Amongst these works is a 42-chapter treatise entitled The Kingdom of God which includes The Celestial Stranger, where Traherne imagines a visitor from a distant universe visiting earth and being held in wonder by its riches and beauty.Musically, Traherne is perhaps best known as the poet for Gerald Finzi's Dies Natalis which draws on three Traherne poems plus text from Centuries of Meditation.Traherne's The Celestial Stranger is now the inspiration for a song-cycle by composer Stephen McNeff written for tenor Gavan Ring. McNeff describes the cycle as developing "beyond the utopian world as our stranger realises the existence of tyranny and warfare - forcing them to take their leave. An obvious metaphor for what we are doing to the planet, perhaps, but no less relevant of that…". The work is a joint BBC Radio 3 and National Symphony Orchestra (Ireland) commission and the Dublin premiere will be next year.Stephen McNeff's The Celestial […]
2024-03-08 09:15:00
A vivid account of Szymanowski's rarely performed Harnasie from the LPO, with a visual installation from Wayne McGregor & Ben Cullen Williams that never quite matched the terrific music
[…] O'Brien: withdrawn by the composer for political reasons, Stanford's most popular opera languished in the 20th century but all that seems set to change - interviewDancing with Piazzolla: Welcome to the sophisticated world of the London Tango Quintet - record reviewMusic that is vividly alive & vibrant, yet requires concentration & dedication to listen to: Anselm McDonnell's Kraina - record reviewBeauty and meaning: Handel's Theodora from Jonathan Cohen and Arcangelo with Louise Alder in the title role - record reviewIntense and disturbing, a story without any redemption: Stephen McNeff's new opera A Star Next to the Moon based on Juan Rulfo's novel Pedro Páramo - opera reviewHome
2024-03-07 07:39:00
Danza Gaya: Simon Callaghan & Hiroaki Takenouchi play with wonderful elan & relish, clearly having a great deal of fun
[…] O'Brien: withdrawn by the composer for political reasons, Stanford's most popular opera languished in the 20th century but all that seems set to change - interviewDancing with Piazzolla: Welcome to the sophisticated world of the London Tango Quintet - record reviewMusic that is vividly alive & vibrant, yet requires concentration & dedication to listen to: Anselm McDonnell's Kraina - record reviewBeauty and meaning: Handel's Theodora from Jonathan Cohen and Arcangelo with Louise Alder in the title role - record reviewIntense and disturbing, a story without any redemption: Stephen McNeff's new opera A Star Next to the Moon based on Juan Rulfo's novel Pedro Páramo - opera reviewBeyond coloratura: Strong performances and a serious approach in Chelsea Opera Group's account of Léo Delibes' Lakmé - opera reviewHome
2024-03-06 09:14:00
Ian Venables' intense settings of John Clare at the centre of the Dante Quartet's Conway Hall concert alongside Gurney and Elgar
[…] O'Brien: withdrawn by the composer for political reasons, Stanford's most popular opera languished in the 20th century but all that seems set to change - interviewDancing with Piazzolla: Welcome to the sophisticated world of the London Tango Quintet - record reviewMusic that is vividly alive & vibrant, yet requires concentration & dedication to listen to: Anselm McDonnell's Kraina - record reviewBeauty and meaning: Handel's Theodora from Jonathan Cohen and Arcangelo with Louise Alder in the title role - record reviewIntense and disturbing, a story without any redemption: Stephen McNeff's new opera A Star Next to the Moon based on Juan Rulfo's novel Pedro Páramo - opera reviewBeyond coloratura: Strong performances and a serious approach in Chelsea Opera Group's account of Léo Delibes' Lakmé - opera reviewMarking the centenary of Puccini's death: Opera Holland Park in his early Messa di Gloria - concert reviewHome
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