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Stockhausen: Donnerstag aus Licht

A cosmic saga

Part of the London Sinfonietta 2018/19

Add to my Calendar 21-05-2019 18:30 21-05-2019 20:30 36 Stockhausen: Donnerstag aus Licht For the first time since 1985, Stockhausen’s monumental opera Donnerstag aus Licht (Thursday from Light) returns to the UK. Maxime Pascal conducts the combined forces of Le Balcon, the London Sinfonietta, the New London Chamber Choir and students from the Royal Academy of Music, in a new production directed by Benjamin Lazar. A great avant-garde innovator, Stockhausen only turned to opera aged 50. He spent 26 years developing his seven-part epic, the Licht cycle, which explored the story of mankind as a cosmic saga, and linked each opera to a day of the week, a celestial body and a colour. Donnerstag (Thursday, Jupiter, bright blue) is the fourth opera in the cycle and follows the story of Michael, an angel in human form, as he relives the composer’s childhood, learns music, grows up, falls in love, travels around the world and overcomes forces of evil. Royal Festival Hall, London DD/MM/YYYY

Details

Royal Festival Hall
Southbank Centre
Belvedere Rd
South Bank
London
SE1 8XX
England

Programme

Karlheinz Stockhausen – Donnerstag aus Licht (1980)

Performers

Maxime Pascal – Conductor

London Sinfonietta
Le Balcon
Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble
New London Chamber Choir

Other concerts in this Season ▼

Programme Note

For the first time since 1985, Stockhausen’s monumental opera Donnerstag aus Licht (Thursday from Light) returns to the UK. Maxime Pascal conducts the combined forces of Le Balcon, the London Sinfonietta, the New London Chamber Choir and students from the Royal Academy of Music, in a new production directed by Benjamin Lazar. A great avant-garde innovator, Stockhausen only turned to opera aged 50. He spent 26 years developing his seven-part epic, the Licht cycle, which explored the story of mankind as a cosmic saga, and linked each opera to a day of the week, a celestial body and a colour. Donnerstag (Thursday, Jupiter, bright blue) is the fourth opera in the cycle and follows the story of Michael, an angel in human form, as he relives the composer’s childhood, learns music, grows up, falls in love, travels around the world and overcomes forces of evil.

© Matthieu Fappani / Opéra Comique

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