Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Having loved opera since he was a teenager, British composer George Benjamin admits that it took him too long to start composing opera and wishes he had more time to write more of it. Now nearly sixty years old, he even confesses that he has begun a race against the clock to complete all his operatic projects. Commissioned by the Royal Opera House in collaboration with six international opera houses, Lessons in Love and Violence (which premiered at Covent Garden in 2018) confirmed Benjamin’s talent, which he already showcased in his two previous operas, notably with Written on Skin which was written for the 2012 Aix-en-Provence Festival.
Composed on Martin Crimp’s libretto and based on Marlowe’s famous tragedy, the work draws on Elizabethan theatre’s creativity and complex characters, which are played by an outstanding cast. Brimming with conspiracies, passion and violence, the story sees King Edward II opposing his wife and son as he is overcome by his love for the young French knight Piers Gaveston. Set in the 21st century, this terrible story of power and politics takes on chilling parallels with modern times.
Following the DVD release of the original production in London, we find here a new audio version recorded under the direction of the composer at the 2018 Holland Festival. This recording boasts many of the spectacle’s original performers, such as the phenomenal Barbara Hannigan playing Queen Isabelle of France and Stéphane Degout in the role of the King - one of his best roles yet. This dense and powerful work was a huge success in London and the enthusiasm surrounding the opera was further reinforced following the productions in Lyon, Hamburg and Amsterdam, where this album was recorded. © François Hudry/Qobuz
More info
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $16.65/month
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Stéphane Degout, MainArtist - Peter Hoare, MainArtist - Gyula Orendt, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Stéphane Degout, MainArtist - Peter Hoare, MainArtist - Gyula Orendt, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Stéphane Degout, MainArtist - Samuel Boden, MainArtist - Gyula Orendt, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Peter Hoare, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Peter Hoare, MainArtist - Krisztina Szabo, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer - Jennifer France, MainArtist - Andri Björn Róbertsson, MainArtist
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Peter Hoare, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Peter Hoare, MainArtist - Samuel Boden, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Stéphane Degout, MainArtist - Gyula Orendt, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Stéphane Degout, MainArtist - Gyula Orendt, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Stéphane Degout, MainArtist - Peter Hoare, MainArtist - Krisztina Szabo, MainArtist - Gyula Orendt, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer - Jennifer France, MainArtist
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Stéphane Degout, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Stéphane Degout, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Stéphane Degout, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
DISC 2
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Peter Hoare, MainArtist - Samuel Boden, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Peter Hoare, MainArtist - Samuel Boden, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer - Andri Björn Róbertsson, MainArtist
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Peter Hoare, MainArtist - Samuel Boden, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Stéphane Degout, MainArtist - Peter Hoare, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Stéphane Degout, MainArtist - Peter Hoare, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Stéphane Degout, MainArtist - Krisztina Szabo, MainArtist - Gyula Orendt, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer - Jennifer France, MainArtist
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Stéphane Degout, MainArtist - Gyula Orendt, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Stéphane Degout, MainArtist - Gyula Orendt, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Samuel Boden, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Barbara Hannigan, MainArtist - Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra - George Benjamin, Composer, Conductor - Samuel Boden, MainArtist - Martin Crimp, Composer
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Album review
Having loved opera since he was a teenager, British composer George Benjamin admits that it took him too long to start composing opera and wishes he had more time to write more of it. Now nearly sixty years old, he even confesses that he has begun a race against the clock to complete all his operatic projects. Commissioned by the Royal Opera House in collaboration with six international opera houses, Lessons in Love and Violence (which premiered at Covent Garden in 2018) confirmed Benjamin’s talent, which he already showcased in his two previous operas, notably with Written on Skin which was written for the 2012 Aix-en-Provence Festival.
Composed on Martin Crimp’s libretto and based on Marlowe’s famous tragedy, the work draws on Elizabethan theatre’s creativity and complex characters, which are played by an outstanding cast. Brimming with conspiracies, passion and violence, the story sees King Edward II opposing his wife and son as he is overcome by his love for the young French knight Piers Gaveston. Set in the 21st century, this terrible story of power and politics takes on chilling parallels with modern times.
Following the DVD release of the original production in London, we find here a new audio version recorded under the direction of the composer at the 2018 Holland Festival. This recording boasts many of the spectacle’s original performers, such as the phenomenal Barbara Hannigan playing Queen Isabelle of France and Stéphane Degout in the role of the King - one of his best roles yet. This dense and powerful work was a huge success in London and the enthusiasm surrounding the opera was further reinforced following the productions in Lyon, Hamburg and Amsterdam, where this album was recorded. © François Hudry/Qobuz
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 23 track(s)
- Total length: 01:24:49
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artist: Various Artists
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Nimbus Records
- Genre: Classical Opera
(C) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limited (P) 2019 Wyastone Estate Limite
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.