European American Music Distributors Company is a member of the Schott Music Group

New Production of Gerald Barry's The Intelligence Park at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

Sep. 01, 2019

New Production of Gerald Barry's <em>The Intelligence Park</em> at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

From September 25 to October 4, the Linbury Theatre at the Royal Opera House presents a new production of Gerald Barry's celebrated first opera, The Intelligence Park. Not seen in London since 1990, this co-production of the Royal Opera House and Music Theatre Wales, in association with the London Sinfonietta, will be conducted by Jessica Cottis and directed by Nigel Lowery, and tours the UK this autumn. 

Gerald Barry’s remarkable first opera The Intelligence Park explores the relationship between sexuality, artistic creativity and power. Set in 1753 Dublin, the drama centers around a love triangle between a composer, his bride-to-be, and the lead castrato whose other-worldly voice dominates both their fantasies.

Composed between 1981-1988, the opera was at the time of its premiere one of the first contemporary Irish operas to be written since the end of the 18th century. Barry infuses his distinctive, high-octane music with elements of the baroque to create a vivid and resplendent score.

The production comes to the Linbury Theatre ahead of the composer's most recent opera, Alice's Adventures Under Ground, which will receive its staged premiere at the Main Stage of the Royal Opera House later this season.

Listen to an excerpt from Gerald Barry's The Intelligence Park (1981-88) here:
(The Intelligence Park/Barry/Deane/Houlihan/Almeida Ensemble) 

In addition, Barry's Organ Concerto receives its German premiere on September 18-19, with Duncan Ward leading the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, featuring renowned organist Thomas Trotter as the soloist.

Listen to Gerald Barry's Organ Concerto (2017) here:
(Organ Concerto/Gerald Barry/Thomas Trotter/RTE National Symphony Orchestra/Stefan Asbury, conductor)

To learn more about Gerald Barry, visit: schott-music.com

Gerald Barry
The Intelligence Park (1981-1988)
an opera
libretto (Eng) by Vincent Deane
for bass-baritone, tenor, bass, soprano, countertenor and contralto
1(pic., afl.)1(ca).2(2.bcl)1(cbsn)-1.1(pic tpt.).basstpt.0.0-perc(glsp, mar)-pno.tape-str(1.1.1.1.1)
105' 

Alice’s Adventures Under Ground (2014-2015)
an opera
libretto (Eng) prepared by the composer based on the texts by Lewis Carroll
for soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, 2 tenors, baritone and bass
2(2.pic, 2.pic & afl).2(2.ca).1.bcl.2(2.cbsn)-2.2.1.1-timp.3perc-str
70’

Organ Concerto (2017)
for organ and orchestra
3.2.ca.2.bcl.3-4.3.3.1-timp.2perc(mar, cym, tub bells)-pno-str. Plus 21 metronomes shared between soloist and orchestral players.
20'

News