Philip Venables

Denis & Katya announced at Dutch National Opera / Opera Forward Festival

August 31, 2021

Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam have announced that they will make a new production of Denis & Katya in the Opera Forward Festival 2022. The Festival features a range of new operatic each year in March in a range of…

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Glowing Reviews for Denis & Katya in Montpellier

August 6, 2021

Denis & Katya made its french premiere a few weeks ago in a new french-language version at the Opéra National Montpellier. The production featured soprano Chloé Briot and baritone Elliot Madore, and cellists from the Orchestre National Montpellier. Ted Huffman…

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Two mini-documentaries about Denis & Katya in Montpellier

July 20, 2021

Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier have made two little videos taking a peek behind the scenes of the production of Denis & Katya. Episode 1 features interviews with me and Ted about the show (mostly in english) and Episode 2 features…

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Denis & Katya announced in Hannover

June 30, 2021

The German premiere of Denis & Katya has been announced for the 21—22 Season of the Niedersächsische Staatsoper Hannover. The theatre has commissioned a german language version of the opera, which has been translated by director and librettist Robert Lehmeier….

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New dates and cast for Denis & Katya in Montpellier

June 30, 2021

The performances of Denis & Katya in Montpellier have been postponed due to Covid-19. The opera will now take place on the main stage of the Opéra Comédie on 26th, 28th and 29th July. Tickets are available here. The performances…

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Denis & Katya wins Ivor Novello Award

December 16, 2020

I am delighted to say that I have won an Ivor Novello Award for Denis & Katya in the Stage Works category of the 2020 Ivors Composers Awards. The awards ceremony was not a public event this year, due to…

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Reviews for MTW tour of Denis & Katya

March 15, 2020

Music Theatre Wales tour of Denis & Katya is now complete. The show went to Newport, Mold and Aberystwyth in Wales, followed by two nights at the Purcell Room in the Southbank Centre, London. Unfortunately the scheduled performance in Cardiff…

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Denis & Katya shortlisted for International Opera Award

February 22, 2020

Denis & Katya has been shortlisted for the World Premiere award at the 2020 International Opera Awards. Others shortlisted include Anthropocene by Stuart MacRae and Louise Welsh and p r i s m by Ellen Reid and Roxie Perkins. The…

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Denis & Katya UK tour announced

October 10, 2019

Music Theatre Wales has released its tour dates for Denis & Katya in 2020. The tour will be in four theatres in Wales, and two shows will be performed at the Southbank Centre in London. Unfortunately the England tour has…

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“Spellbinding” — reviews for Denis & Katya

September 30, 2019

We sent Denis & Katya out into the world on 18th September at the premiere at Suzanne Roberts Theater in Philadelphia with Opera Philadephia. Scored for just two singers, four cellos and pre-recorded sound and video, the 65-minute pseudo-verbatim opera…

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Denis & Katya wins Fedora Prize for Opera

July 1, 2019

Denis & Katya, my second opera, has been awarded the prestigious Fedora Generali Prize for Opera this year. The prize was awarded at the Teatro la Fenice in Venice at a special awards ceremony on 28th June. The prize is…

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Denis & Katya announced

June 19, 2019

My new latest music theatre piece, Denis & Katya, has been announced for its premiere production with the lead commissioner Opera Philadelphia.  The work has been conceived and written with my long-time collaborator, Ted Huffman.  It is pseudo-documentary music theatre, taking a…

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Residency at Watermill Center, NY

September 12, 2018

I have been awarded a month-long residency at the Watermill Center in the Hamptons, NY, in January 2019.  I will take up the residency with Ted Huffman, and together we will spend the month working on our new opera, Denis &…

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