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The Tempest

Thomas Adès at 50

Thomas Ades conducting vigorously

Thomas Adès’s 2004 opera recreates Shakespeare’s enchanted isle on his own, utterly magical terms in what the New York Times called ‘one of the most inspired, audacious and personal operas in years.’

In this, its first-ever concert performance, the limelight is on Adès’s startlingly vivid music. But with a cast of top-flight vocal talent – including the dazzling Audrey Luna as Ariel, whose stratospheric soprano is guaranteed to take your breath away – the drama will have no difficulty in weaving its spell.

For many The Tempest was the first operatic masterpiece of the 21st century; and it is still a particular high point in the career of a composer that seems to contain little other than high points. So it seems fitting that Adès himself will conduct Britten Sinfonia and his hand-picked cast in the closing performance of our concert series celebrating this brilliant composer in his 50th birthday year.

Co-produced by the Barbican and Britten Sinfonia.

This performance will end at approximately 10pm, including a 20 minute interval.

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