The Importance of Being Earnest

Symphony Hall, Birmingham
Broad Street, Birmingham, West Midlands, B1 2EA
United Kingdom
0121 200 2000
symphonyhall@necgroup.co.uk

Conductor: Thomas Adès

Cast
Barbara Hannigan: Cecily Cardew
Peter Tantsits: John Worthing
Joshua Bloom: Algernon Moncrieff
Katalin Karolyi: Gwendolen Fairfax
Hilary Summers: Miss Prism
Stephen Richardson: Lady Bracknell

Opera in Three Acts (Concert Performance)
by Gerald Barry
Libretto by the composer based on the text by Oscar Wilde

‘I’ve now realised for the first time in my life the vital importance of being Earnest’

Oscar Wilde’s most enduringly popular play – The Importance of Being Earnest – has long been a staple of theatre and screen; now, a brilliant new operatic version gives voice to Lady Bracknell’s "A hand-bag?!"

Ernest Worthing (aka John) wants to marry Gwendolen. Algernon (aka Ernest) has an imaginary friend called Bunbury. Lady Bracknell only wants the best for her daughter Gwendolen and she just wants to marry someone with the name Ernest.

Thomas Adès conducts Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and a stellar cast of singers in the European premiere performances of Gerald Barry’s new opera in Birmingham and London.

Irish composer Gerald Barry has enjoyed a long and successful association with BCMG, including acclaimed performances of his opera The Triumph of Beauty and Deceit with Thomas Adès in Birmingham, London, Paris and New York, and three commissions through the Group’s Sound Investment scheme.

‘My favourite living composer finds the hilarious musical equivalent for Oscar Wilde’s perfect absurdist paradoxes in his riotously outrageous and funny new opera.’
Thomas Adès

'The opera is hysterically funny. The score is highly sophisticated and indescribably zany… The world now has something rare: a new genuinely comic opera…’
Los Angeles Times

The Birmingham performance of The Importance of Being Earnest is included in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s 2011/12 Season and standard CBSO discounts apply. See www.cbso.co.uk for further details, or enquire when booking.

Gerald Barry : The Importance of Being Earnest