About the work
Opera by George Benjamin to a libretto by Martin Crimp, their third collaboration after 'Written on Skin'. Crimp condensed Christopher Marlowe's play 'Edward II' into seven flashpoint 'lessons'; commissioned jointly by several opera houses, the work premiered on 10 May 2018 at the Royal Opera House, London, directed by Katie Mitchell and conducted by the composer.
Plot
A king cares more for his favourite Gaveston than for governing his realm; his wife Isabel allies herself with the adviser Mortimer to force him back to his duties. Two children witness the resulting spiral of betrayal, violence and death, which ultimately costs both couples their lives.
Cultural significance
The premiere received a largely positive, at times more reserved critical response internationally and was taken up in a co-production with houses in Amsterdam, Hamburg, Lyon, Chicago, Barcelona and Madrid; the German premiere followed as early as 2019 at the Hamburg State Opera.