Ensemble 20/21 presents: A Mad King

On Saturday, November 10, the Curtis 20/21 Ensemble presents Peter Maxwell Davies’s melodrama Eight Songs for a Mad King, long recognized as a major work of experimental theater. Composed in the late 1960s, Davies captures King George III’s descent into madness through inventive music and a wide array of non-traditional performance techniques, creating an unforgettable experience for the listener. The work is preceded by Joy Boy, a bright and minimal work by Curtis alumnus Julius Eastman, a gifted and idiosyncratic composer, pianist, and one of the first vocalists to take on the Eight Songs in performance.

JULIUS EASTMAN (’63) Joy Boy
PETER MAXWELL DAVIES Eight Songs for a Mad King
Jonathan Beyer (’07), baritone
Curtis 20/21 Ensemble

Tickets: https://bit.ly/2zwMxrf

Photo Credits
Composer Julius Eastman at work: Donald Burkhart/Bowerbird
Composer Julius Eastman rehearsing in the 1970s: Ron Hammond
Peter Maxwell Davies: independent.co.uk
Julius Eastman plays the violin at Griffis Sculpture Park in East Otto, New York: Chris Rusinak
Peter Maxwell Davies: CS Neumeller

Видео Ensemble 20/21 presents: A Mad King канала Curtis Institute of Music