On 28th/29th January Jonathan Harvey will form the focus of the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s important Total Immersion festival at the Barbican, London. The many events, including orchestral concerts, choral performances, films and talks (full listings below), will shine a light on this most unique and prolific composer. The UK premiere of Harvey’s opera Wagner Dream is not to be missed!
An extraordinary number of newspapers and magazines have flagged this up as one of the must-see events of the year:
‘One of our most visionary composers gets the BBC Symphony Orchestra's Total Immersion treatment ... There are Harvey's Buddhist-inspired orchestral works, the meditative brilliance of his choral pieces and, best of all, the British premiere of his opera Wagner Dream, Harvey's most ambitious fusion yet of western aesthetics and eastern philosophy.’
Guardian (Tom Service), 29 December 2011
'[An] unmissable portrait of composer Jonathan Harvey, known for his exquisite, spiritual music, ‘
The Observer, 1 January 2012
‘The UK premiere of Jonathan Harvey's Wagner Dream at the Barbican heralds a strong year for contemporary opera.’
The Independent (Anna Picard), January 2012
‘Harvey composes music of strange, glistening beauty.’
Telegraph (Ivan Hewitt), 22 December 2011
As well as features in BBC Music Magazine, Classical Music Magzine and Prospect Magazine
Jonathan Harvey - Total Immersion events
Saturday 28 January
11.00am Film, Silk Street Theatre
Towards and Beyond: A Portrait of Jonathan Harvey
A documentary by Barrie Gavin.
Towards and Beyond: A Portrait of Jonathan Harvey
A documentary by Barrie Gavin.
1.00pm Concert, Barbican Hall
Vers
Tombeau de Messiaen
Tranquil Abiding
Songs of Li Po
Calling Across Time
3.30pm Film and Talk, Silk Street Theatre
A short film introduction to Harvey's Madonna of Winter and Spring, followed by Professor Jonathan Cross talking about Jonathan Harvey's music and introduces the works in this evening's two concerts.
6.00pm Concert, St. Giles Cripplegate
Ashes dance back London premiere
Marahi
Forms of Emptiness
Come Holy Ghost
I Love the Lord
How could the soul not take flight
BBC Singers
David Hill conductor
David Hill conductor
8.00pm Concert, Barbican Hall
Body Mandala
Messages London premiere
Madonna of Winter & Spring
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Martyn Brabbins conductor
BBC Symphony Chorus
Sound Intermedia sound projection
Martyn Brabbins conductor
BBC Symphony Chorus
Sound Intermedia sound projection
Sunday 29 January
7.30pm Concert, Barbican Hall
Wagner Dream
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Martyn Brabbins conductor
Alastair Mailes Vairochana
Claire Booth Prakriti
Richard Angas Old Brahmin
Daniel Norman Ananda
Roderick Williams Buddha
Kelley O’Connor Mother of Prakriti
Martyn Brabbins conductor
Alastair Mailes Vairochana
Claire Booth Prakriti
Richard Angas Old Brahmin
Daniel Norman Ananda
Roderick Williams Buddha
Kelley O’Connor Mother of Prakriti