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George Benjamin

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description George Benjamin Overview

George Benjamin is a British composer and conductor born in 1960. He studied composition with Olivier Messiaen and Alexander Goehr at the Paris Conservatoire and later at Cambridge University. His first major work, "Ringed by the Flat Horizon" (1980), was performed at the BBC Proms when he was just 20 years old. His operas include "Into the Little Hill" (2006), "Written on Skin" (2012), and "Lessons in Love and Violence" (2018), all collaborations with playwright Martin Crimp.

"Written on Skin" has been performed by major opera houses worldwide, establishing Benjamin as a significant contemporary opera composer.

help George Benjamin FAQ

What happens in George Benjamin's Written on Skin?

A wealthy Protector commissions a young artist to create an illuminated book, only for the artist and the Protector's wife Agnès to begin an affair. Martin Crimp's libretto frames the medieval tragedy through modern angels who observe and reconstruct the action.

Why is Written on Skin associated with the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence?

The opera received its world premiere at the Aix-en-Provence Festival in 2012. Its success there led to performances by major companies including the Royal Opera in London.

What should listeners hear first by George Benjamin besides Written on Skin?

Into the Little Hill is a compact chamber opera based on the Pied Piper story and also uses a text by Martin Crimp. Orchestral listeners can try Ringed by the Flat Horizon, the work that brought Benjamin wide attention while he was still a young composer.

Why has George Benjamin written relatively few large works?

Benjamin is known for composing slowly and revising with exceptional care, producing a concentrated catalog rather than a high volume of pieces. His operas with Martin Crimp include Into the Little Hill, Written on Skin, and Lessons in Love and Violence.