Gerald Barry, Britten Sinfonia

Irish composer Gerald Barry’s latest opera, based on the literary works of Lewis Carroll, receives its European premiere at the Barbican in November, in a concert performance. Barry describes it as ‘the next logical step’ following on from The Importance of Being Earnest. The composer has earned a formidable reputation for his operatic works, and has a wildly inventive musical style based on parody, quotation, and virtuoso pastiche of a variety of musical languages. For this performance Canadian soprano Barbara Hannigan sings the role of Alice, and will be joined by a stellar cast and Britten Sinfonia, conducted by Thomas Adès.