The Minotaur

E590937

The Minotaur is a contemporary opera by British composer Harrison Birtwistle that reimagines the Greek myth of the half-man, half-bull creature with a dark, psychologically intense score.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
The Minotaur canonical 3

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf contemporary opera
opera
basedOn Greek myth of the Minotaur
characteristic dark orchestral color
intense vocal writing
non-linear narrative elements
commissionedBy Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
composer Harrison Birtwistle
countryOfOrigin United Kingdom
criticalReception generally positive
duration approximately 120 minutes
features complex rhythms
dense textures
prominent percussion
firstPerformanceCompany The Royal Opera
genre contemporary classical music
opera
hasType tragic opera
language English
librettist David Harsent
mainCharacter Ariadne
Minotaur
Theseus
notableRecording Royal Opera House production recording
notableRole Ariadne (soprano)
Minotaur (baritone)
Theseus (baritone)
linked to: Theseus
numberOfActs 2
orchestration large orchestra
partOf Harrison Birtwistle’s stage works
period 21st-century opera
premiereConductor Antonio Pappano
linked to: Sir Antonio Pappano
premiereDate 2008-04-15
premiereDirector Stephen Langridge
premierePlace Royal Opera House, London
publisher Boosey & Hawkes
setting Labyrinth of Crete
structure prologue and epilogue
style modernist
psychologically intense
subject Ariadne
Minotaur
Theseus
theme identity
imprisonment
myth reimagining
violence

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Harrison Birtwistle notableWork The Minotaur
The Minotaur hasTitleInEnglish The Minotaur