Prom 39: Birtwistle's Mask of Orpheus

• Documentary

Episode overview

Charles Hazlewood presents as the Proms mark the 75th birthday of one of Britain's greatest living composers, Sir Harrison Birtwistle, with a rare performance of the central act of his monumental opera The Mask of Orpheus. It is performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Singers and a cast that includes Alan Oke and Christine Rice, and conducted by Martyn Brabbins with Ryan Wigglesworth. Brabbins opens the concert with Popcorn Superhet Receiver by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood, a piece which won the Radio 3 Listeners' Award at the 2006 British Composer Awards. Stravinsky's elegant ballet music Apollo contrasts these two contemporary works.