Entertainment

The week in classical: The Dead City; Black Angels; Re:sound – review

  • 01. Apr 2023. 19:17
  • By The EU Times
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The week in classical saw London's Coliseum transformed into a mysterious and eerie cityscape, as English National Opera (ENO) presented a highly-anticipated world premiere of The Dead City, a work by award-winning composer Richard Ayres.

Directed by Annilese Miskimmon and performed with the Manchester Collective, the production was an intense and unsettling exploration of our relationship with the past, present, and future. Ayres' score was a sonic journey, from the eerie opening chords of a muted piano to the rich, full strings that accompanied the characters in their journey through the city.

The week also saw the UK premiere of Black Angels, a work for string quartet by American composer George Crumb, performed at Kings Place. The piece was an evocative exploration of the darkness and beauty of the human condition, and the performers gave a passionate and heartfelt performance.

Re:sound – Voices of Our Cities was a celebration of the work of Streetwise Opera, a charity that works with people who have experienced homelessness. The concert, held at the BBC Concert Orchestra, featured the charity's participants performing their own compositions alongside pieces by composers including Handel, Sibelius and Britten. It was an inspiring evening that showcased the talents of the Streetwise Opera community.

The week in classical was a powerful reminder of the power of music to move and inspire us, and to help us make sense of the world around us.