''The Minotaur'' is an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

in two acts, with 13 scenes by English composer

Harrison Birtwistle Sir Harrison Birtwistle (15 July 1934 – 18 April 2022) was an English composer of contemporary classical music best known for his operas, often based on mythological subjects. Among his many compositions, his better known works include '' T ...

to a libretto by poet

David Harsent David Harsent (born in Devon) is an English poet who for some time earned his living as a TV scriptwriter and crime novelist. Background During his early career he was part of a circle of poets centred on Ian Hamilton and forming something of a ...

, commissioned by the

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Ope ...

in London. The work, a retelling of the Greek myth of the Minotaur, premiered at the Royal Opera House on 15 April 2008 under the stage direction of

Stephen Langridge Stephen Langridge is a British stage director, stage and opera director. From 2012-2019 he was Director of the Gothenburg Opera. He is the current Artistic Director of the Glyndebourne Festival. He has also staged works for several prominent opera ...

.Loomis, George, "''The Minotaur'': A masterful retelling of a classic Greek myth", ''The New York Times'' (21 April 2008)
/ref> The score is modernistic, and the scenes fall into three types: bullfights; scenes between

Ariadne Ariadne (; grc-gre, Ἀριάδνη; la, Ariadne) was a Cretan princess in Greek mythology. She was mostly associated with mazes and labyrinths because of her involvement in the myths of the Minotaur and Theseus. She is best known for havi ...

and

Theseus Theseus (, ; grc-gre, Θησεύς ) was the mythical king and founder-hero of Athens. The myths surrounding Theseus his journeys, exploits, and friends have provided material for fiction throughout the ages. Theseus is sometimes describ ...

; and dream sequences for the Minotaur, in which the creature has the gift of speech. The opera lasts about 140 minutes. The opera was revived at the Royal Opera House for five performances in early 2013, featuring most of the original cast, most notably Christine Rice, John Tomlinson, Andrew Watts and Johan Reuter.

Roles

Birtwistle wrote the title role for John Tomlinson's voice. Tomlinson also created the role of the Green Knight in Birtwistle's 1990 opera ''

Gawain Gawain (), also known in many other forms and spellings, is a character in Arthurian legend, in which he is King Arthur's nephew and a Knight of the Round Table. The prototype of Gawain is mentioned under the name Gwalchmei in the earliest ...

''. Premiere production staff

Theme

From the programme notes:

The Minotaur does not fully comprehend the duality of his physical nature as half-bull, half-man; only in sleep and, ultimately, in death does his human side become evident. Ariadne hopes that, with the help of the Oracle, she will enable Theseus to find a way out of the
labyrinth In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth (, ) was an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by t ...
should he survive his encounter with the Minotaur. She believes she can persuade Theseus to take her back with him to
Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
. Both see the Minotaur as scapegoat and deliverance.

The last scene of ''The Minotaur'' echoes the death scene of

Mussorgsky Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky ( rus, link=no, Модест Петрович Мусоргский, Modest Petrovich Musorgsky , mɐˈdɛst pʲɪˈtrovʲɪtɕ ˈmusərkskʲɪj, Ru-Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky version.ogg; – ) was a Russian compo ...

's '' Boris Godunov''.

Instrumentation

Woodwind Woodwind instruments are a family of musical instruments within the greater category of wind instruments. Common examples include flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and saxophone. There are two main types of woodwind instruments: flutes and re ...

: 3 flutes (2nd and 3rd doubling piccolo); 3

oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range. ...

s (3rd also English horn); 4 clarinets (1st B-flat, A; 2nd B-flat, A, E-flat, and bass clarinet; 3rd B-flat, A, and bass clarinet; 4th bass clarinet and

contrabass clarinet The contrabass clarinet (also pedal clarinet, after the pedals of pipe organs) and contra-alto clarinet are the two largest members of the clarinet family that are in common usage. Modern contrabass clarinets are transposing instruments pitc ...

); alto saxophone; 3 bassoons (3rd also

double bassoon The contrabassoon, also known as the double bassoon, is a larger version of the bassoon, sounding an octave lower. Its technique is similar to its smaller cousin, with a few notable differences. Differences from the bassoon The reed is consid ...

) *

Brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other wit ...

: 4

French horn The French horn (since the 1930s known simply as the horn in professional music circles) is a brass instrument made of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. The double horn in F/B (technically a variety of German horn) is the horn most ...

s, 4

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

s, 4

trombone The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

s (4th also

contrabass trombone The contrabass trombone (german: Kontrabassposaune, it, trombone contrabbasso) is the lowest instrument in the trombone family of brass instruments. First appearing built in 18′ B♭ an octave below the tenor trombone, since the late 20th cen ...

); 2

tuba The tuba (; ) is the lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibrationa buzzinto a mouthpiece. It first appeared in the mid-19th century, making it one of the ne ...

s *

Percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Ex ...

timpani Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a membrane called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally ...

(2 sets on stage), 4 percussionists:

xylophone The xylophone (; ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets. Like the glockenspiel (which uses metal bars), the xylophone essentially consists of a set of tuned wooden keys arranged in ...

, glockenspiel,

vibraphone The vibraphone is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone is called a ''vibraphonist,'' ''vibraharpist ...

crotales Crotales (, ), sometimes called antique cymbals, are percussion instruments consisting of small, tuned bronze or brass disks. Each is about in diameter with a flat top surface and a nipple on the base. They are commonly played by being struck ...

, güiro, 3 higher

tom-toms A tom drum is a cylindrical drum with no snares, named from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala language. It was added to the drum kit in the early part of the 20th century. Most toms range in size between in diameter, though floor toms can go as l ...

, 3 lower

, small bass drum, very large bass drum, 2

log drum A slit drum or slit gong is a hollow percussion instrument. In spite of the name, it is not a true drum but an idiophone, usually carved or constructed from bamboo or wood into a box with one or more slits in the top. Most slit drums have one slit ...

triangles A triangle is a polygon with three edges and three vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC. In Euclidean geometry, any three points, when non-collinear ...

, 4 wood blocks, 4

temple block Temple blocks are a type of percussion instrument consisting of a set of woodblocks. It is descended from the muyu, an instrument originating from eastern Asia, where it is commonly used in religious ceremonies. Description It is a carved h ...

s, 2

bongos Bongos ( es, bongó) are an Afro-Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of small open bottomed hand drums of different sizes. They are struck with both hands, most commonly in an eight-stroke pattern called ''martillo'' (hammer). The ...

, 2 congas, 4

suspended cymbal Classical suspended cymbal A suspended cymbal is any single cymbal played with a stick or beater rather than struck against another cymbal. Common abbreviations used are "sus. cym.," or "sus. cymb." (with or without the period). Most drum kit ...

s, 3

tam-tam A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...

s, 2 large

nipple gong A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...

s * Strings: 14/ 12/ 10/ 8/ 7 * Other: 2 harps,

cimbalom The cimbalom (; ) or concert cimbalom is a type of chordophone composed of a large, trapezoidal box on legs with metal strings stretched across its top and a damping pedal underneath. It was designed and created by V. Josef Schunda in 1874 in ...

Synopsis

''Scene 1: Arrival'' Ariadne watches as a Greek ship arrives on the island of

Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, ...

, carrying the Innocents who will be sacrificed to the Minotaur: a monstrous creature, half-man, half-bull. Ariadne greets the Innocents and notices Theseus in the crowd. He has come to Crete to defeat the Minotaur. ''Scene 2: The Choice'' Theseus tells Ariadne about his departure from Athens with the Innocents. Ariadne believes that Theseus offers her a means of escape from Crete. She plays a game of chance with him using a stone: if he chooses the hand in which she holds the stone he will enter the labyrinth to confront the Minotaur, but if he chooses her empty hand he must remain a bystander to the bloodshed. Ariadne cheats so that Theseus chooses the empty hand. ''Scene 3: The Labyrinth'' The Innocents enter the labyrinth, praying to the gods to bring them out safely. ''Scene 4: Ariadne'' Ariadne recounts the circumstances surrounding the birth of her half-brother, the Minotaur: her mother's union with a white bull from the sea, which was either sent by

Poseidon Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as a ...

, or was the sea god himself in disguise. ''Scene 5: The Labyrinth'' The Innocents reach the heart of the labyrinth. The Minotaur is taunted by the chorus for his monstrous form and inability to speak. His first victim, a young woman, appears and the Minotaur gores and rapes her.

Keres In Greek mythology, the Keres (; Ancient Greek: Κῆρες), singular Ker (; Κήρ), were female death-spirits. They were the goddesses who personified violent death and who were drawn to bloody deaths on battlefields. Although they were pre ...

feed upon the body and sing of destruction. ''Scene 6: The Minotaur Dreams'' The Minotaur acquires the power of speech in his dreams. Asleep, he reflects on his imprisonment in the labyrinth and violent existence. An image of Ariadne appears and tells the story of his birth. She is interrupted by a mysterious and disturbing figure; unknown to the Minotaur, it is Theseus. ''Scene 7: The Labyrinth'' The chorus urges the Minotaur to wake. They taunt him as he brutally massacres the Innocents. When they have all been killed or mortally injured, the Keres descend again to feast upon the bodies. ''Scene 8: A Proposition'' Ariadne tries to dissuade Theseus from confronting the Minotaur. He remains determined, revealing that – like the Minotaur – he may be the son of Poseidon. Ariadne tries to seduce Theseus and persuade him to take her to Greece when he returns. He is unmoved. ''Scene 9: The Minotaur Dreams'' Asleep again, the Minotaur voices his despair at his compromised existence. An image of Ariadne appears and he wonders whether she might help him to escape the labyrinth. Ariadne meanwhile asks the Minotaur "are you my key to the world outside?" Theseus appears again as a shadowy figure. ''Scene 10: The Oracle at Psychro'' Ariadne asks the Snake Priestess how she might help Theseus escape the labyrinth. In return for her assistance, she hopes she can persuade Theseus to take her to Athens. The Snake Priestess, speaking through the Hiereus, advises Ariadne to give Theseus a ball of twine. If he unwinds it as he descends into the labyrinth, he will be able to retrace his journey to the outside world. The Snake Priestess also confirms that Ariadne will set sail for Athens with Theseus. ''Scene 11: A Blind Bargain'' Ariadne relays the Snake Priestess's prophecy to Theseus. Theseus sets off to confront the Minotaur. ''Scene 12: The Labyrinth'' Theseus meets the Minotaur at the centre of the labyrinth and they engage in brutal fighting, cheered on by the chorus. Theseus hesitates momentarily when the Minotaur acquires the power of human speech, but then delivers the fatal blow. Theseus begins his journey out of the labyrinth. Once he has escaped, he intends to set sail for Athens with Ariadne. ''Scene 13: Death of the Minotaur'' As the Minotaur lies dying, he laments his empty existence, neither fully man nor fully beast. He pulls out the bloodied sword from his side and declares that he is the son of Poseidon. The chorus leave the labyrinth as the Minotaur dies. A Ker enters to feed on his body.

Reception

''The Minotaur'' was ranked third in a 2019 poll by ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' of the greatest classical works of the 21st century, with Andrew Clements arguing that the opera has "music of lyrical beauty and pungent transparency."

Recording

*''Birtwistle: The Minotaur'' – DVD recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, on 25 April, 30 April, and 3 May 2008. Opus Arte OA1000D."Birtwistle: ''The Minotaur''
Presto Classical

References

External links

Birtwistle's ''The Minotaur'' homepage on the Boosey & Hawkes website.
Retrieved on 2013-04-02.
BBC ''Opera on 3'' article with more detailed plot synopsis.
Retrieved on 2008-06-07. *Anna Picard

''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...

'', 20 April 2008. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. *Paul Driver
Review: ''The Minotaur'' at the Royal Opera House
''

The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, w ...

'', April 20, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. *Anthony Holden
On the horns of a dilemma
''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...

'', April 20, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. *Rupert Christiansen
''The Minotaur'': Enthralling, hypnotising – and unloveable
''

The Telegraph ''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are popular names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include: Australia * ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, publ ...

'', April 17, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. *Ivan Hewett
''The Minotaur'': father and son venture into the labyrinth
''The Telegraph'', April 10, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. {{DEFAULTSORT:Minotaur, The Operas English-language operas 2008 operas Operas based on classical mythology Operas by Harrison Birtwistle Operas set in fictional, mythological and folkloric settings Opera world premieres at the Royal Opera House Operas set in ancient Greece Minotaur Cultural depictions of Theseus Crete in fiction