The Mask of Orpheus

E590936

The Mask of Orpheus is a landmark 20th-century opera by Harrison Birtwistle, renowned for its complex structure, mythic subject matter, and innovative musical language.

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Label Occurrences
The Mask of Orpheus canonical 1

Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf 20th-century opera
opera
basedOn Greek mythology NERFINISHED
commissionedBy English National Opera NERFINISHED
composer Harrison Birtwistle NERFINISHED
countryOfOrigin United Kingdom
dramaturgy non-linear retelling of the Orpheus myth
duration approximately three hours
genre contemporary classical music
hasAct Act I NERFINISHED
Act II
Act III
hasCharacter Aristaeus NERFINISHED
Eurydice NERFINISHED
Hades NERFINISHED
Orpheus NERFINISHED
hasRecording commercial audio recording
hasVersion concert excerpts
language English
librettist Peter Zinovieff NERFINISHED
movement British modernism
narrativeForm multiple simultaneous narrative layers
notableFor complex structure
innovative musical language
mythic subject matter
orchestration large orchestra with electronics
period late 20th century
premiereDate 1986
premierePlace London NERFINISHED
premiereVenue English National Opera NERFINISHED
publisher Boosey & Hawkes NERFINISHED
reputation landmark work of late 20th-century opera
one of Harrison Birtwistle's major stage works
setting mythic ancient Greece
structure multi-layered time
non-linear
style high modernist
subject Orpheus myth
theme identity
memory
myth and reality
time
usesTechnique complex rhythmic structures
electronic elements
extended vocal techniques
large orchestra

Referenced by (1)

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Harrison Birtwistle notableWork The Mask of Orpheus