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prisoner of the state (2019) 75'

soprano, tenor, baritone, bass; men's chorus; 2+pic.2.2(bcl).2+cbn/4.2[in C].2.0/timp/3 perc/strings

New York Philharmonic, de Doelen Concert Hall, Barbican Centre, l’Auditori, Bochum Symphony Orchestra, Concertgebouw Bruges, and Malmö Opera.

Program Note Libretto Recordings video rent music score preview More Info

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‘prisoner of the state’ European premieres!

European premieres prisoner of the state David Lang, libretto/music
Elkhanah Pulitzer, director  Cast:
Claron McFadden — the assistant
Davone Tines — the jailer
Alan Oke — the governor
Michael Wilmering — the prisoner (in Bochum, Rotterdam, and Bruges) Jarrett Ott — the prisoner (in Malmö and Barcelona)

David Lang’s prisoner of the state—co-commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, De Doelen, Barbican Centre, L’Auditori, Bochumer Symphoniker, Concertgebouw Bruges and Malmö Opera – premiered in June 2019 with the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Jaap van Zweden, and received its British premiere in January 2020 at the Barbican Centre in London with BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers and conductor Ilan Volkov…

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European Premiere: ‘prisoner of the state’

After its acclaimed world premiere in June 2019 with the New York Philharmonic, David Lang’s fully-staged opera, prisoner of the state, directed by Elkhanah Pulitzer, begins a European premiere tour 11 January at the Barbican Centre in London with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers and conductor Ilan Volkov.

prisoner of the state was co-commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, Rotterdam’s De Doelen, London’s Barbican Centre, Barcelona’s l’Auditori, Germany’s Bochum Symphony Orchestra, Belgium’s Concertgebouw Bruges and Sweden’s Malmö Opera…

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world premiere: prisoner of the state

This season, the New York Philharmonic concludes their three-week-long Music of Conscience initiative, as well as their subscription season, with the world premiere of David Lang’s opera prisoner of the state on June 6–8, 2019, conducted by their new Music Director Jaap van Zweden. Co-commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, Rotterdam’s de Doelen Concert Hall, London’s Barbican Centre, Barcelona’s l’Auditori, Bochum Symphony Orchestra, and Bruges’s Concertgebouw, prisoner of the state is the story of a woman who disguises herself as a prison guard to rescue her husband from unjust political imprisonment…

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prisoner of the state

David Lang, music/libretto
Elkhanah Pulitzer, director


watch prisoner of state video playlist

[REVIEW] click to read NY Times review of 'prisoner of the state'
de Volkskrant

David Lang’s prisoner of the state — co-commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, De Doelen, Barbican Centre, l’Auditori, Bochumer Symphoniker, Concertgebouw Bruges and Malmö Opera — premiered in June 2019 with the New York Philharmonic, and received its British premiere in January 2020 at the Barbican Centre in London with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers and conductor Ilan Volkov…

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Biography

“With his winning of the Pulitzer Prize for the little match girl passion (one of the most original and moving scores of recent years), Lang, once a postminimalist enfant terrible, has solidified his standing as an American master.”

— The New Yorker

Passionate, prolific, and complicated, composer David Lang embodies the restless spirit of invention. Lang is at the same time deeply versed in the classical tradition and committed to music that resists categorization, constantly creating new forms…

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