New programme books in my collection

I have recently acquired 7 new programme books for performances of contemporary operas :

- Harrison Birtwistle : The Mask of Orpheus, London (ENO), October 18, 2019 ;
- John Corigliano : The Ghosts of Versailles, Versailles, December 4, 2019 (National première) ;
- Chaya Czernowin : Heart Chamber, Berlin (Deutsche Oper), November 15, 2019 (world première) ;

- Søren Nils Eichberg : Wolf unter Wölfen, Koblenz, November 23, 2019 (world première) ;
- Philip Glass : Orphée, London (ENO), November 15, 2019 ;
- Olga Neuwirth : Orlando, Vienna (Staatsoper), December 8, 2019 (world première) ;
- Philip Venables : Denis & Katya, Philadelphia, September 18, 2019 (world première).

I now have programme books for 710 performances of contemporary operas in my collection. I have scanned all the covers and uploaded the images to this flickr folder.

Today : world première of 'Denis & Katya' by Philip Venables in Philadelphia

Today, the Opera Philadelphia presents the world première of Denis & Katya, an opera composed by Philip Venables with a libretto by Ted Huffman.

It is the composer's third opera after The Schmürz (chamber opera after Boris Vian (London Contemporary Opera, 2012) and 4.48 Psychosis (London, May 24, 2016).

They could have been your teenage children, best friends, or classmates. Two beautiful 15-year-olds who lived every moment − including their last − online. What led to their violent deaths ? Why did they choose to broadcast their final moments on social media ? And what does it say about the voyeuristic society who watched, liked, and objectified them, transforming two kids into clickbait ? (reproduced from the Opera Philadelphia website)

The cast includes baritone Theo Hoffman and mezzo Siena Licht Miller. Emily Senturia conducts the orchestra. Ted Huffman directs.

The performance should alst about 70 minutes, with no intermission. It is part of the Festival O19. The venue is the Suzanne Roberts Theatre.

The work is published by Ricordi.

Further performances by Music Theatre Wales across Wales and England in February and March 2020 and in Montpellier.