Philip Venables is a british composer and has been described as “an arrestingly original musical personality” by Alex Ross in The New Yorker. His output covers opera, music theatre, multimedia concert works and chamber music – an eclectic range of styles and influences, and themes often concerning social politics, violence, gender and storytelling.
Philip's first opera, 4.48 Psychosis performed in The Royal Opera in London, was the first ever permitted adaptation of any of British playwright Sarah Kane's work. The opera won a range of awards and received overwhelming praise: “rawly powerful and laceratingly honest” (The Telegraph) and “he ambushes and refreshes an old art form.” (The Observer).
Philip’s most recent opera Denis & Katya was directed and dramatised by Ted Huffman, who he also collaborates with on Andreas Borregaard’s piece being performed at Borealis 2021. Denis & Katya was described as “the most brilliantly original operatic work I’ve seen in a decade…a sensitive, subtle and deeply questioning meditation on youth, voyeurism, and the age of social media” (Musical America), and won multiple prizes and awards.
Photo: Harald Hoff