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Scoring a Century

A Musical Entertainment

Book and lyrics by Keith Warner
Music by David Blake

First Production
on
4, 5, 6 March 2010

Crescent Theatre, Birmingham

by Birmingham Conservatoire of Music

Director Keith Warner
Conductor Lionel Friend

for more information or to book your tickets:
Box Office 0121 6435858
www.crescent-theatre.co.uk/Y2010/scoring-a-century.html

David Blake was born in London in 1936. He read music at Cambridge, where his teachers included Patrick Hadley and Peter Tranchell. In 1960 he was awarded the Mendelssohn Scholarship and studied with Hanns Eisler in East Berlin. After three years as a school teacher, during which time he composed a highly successful schools musical It's a Small War (OUP), he moved to the new University of York as its first Granada Arts Fellow. In 1964 he was a founder member with Wilfrid Mellers and Peter Aston of the York Department of Music. He was made Professor in 1976 and Head of Department from 1980-1983. He retired in 2001.

David Blake's first commission was from the York Festival for his Chamber Symphony (1966) and subsequent important ones were from English National Opera for two operas — Toussaint (1976, revived 1983) and The Plumber's Gift (1988); from the Leeds Festival Lumina (1969); from the BBC for two concertos — for violin (Proms) and for cello (Cheltenham Festival 1993) — and for Rise Dove (1983). He is published by UYMP, OUP, Schott and Novello.

"David Blake is an example of an increasingly rare breed of creator; he has a technical range and command covering every aspect of composition; he is one of the very few contemporary composers who still write powerfully expressive counterpoint and his melodic invention, ability to characterise musical ideas and his gift for music drama combine to make him a very complete artist..." Robert Saxton

Keith Warner has directed over 150 productions in over 15 countries worldwide.

He was born in London and studied English and Drama at Bristol University. He was Associate Director of Scottish Opera 1984/85, English National Opera 1985–89 and Artistic Director of Opera Omaha 1991–1993.

Notable productions include: Werther and Pacific Overtures at ENO, The Turn of the Screw in Brussels, Lohengrin in Bayreuth, Wozzeck (Olivier award for Best Production) and Wagner's Ring at Covent Garden. A seperate production of The Ring at The New National Theatre, Tokyo. Carmen at Minnesota Opera (subsequently appearing at 10 different companies worldwide). Don Giovanni, Flammen, Orlando Paladino, Katya Kabanova, and Bloch's Macbeth in Vienna. Six production at the Frankfurt Opera, most recently the German Premiere of Ades's The Tempest. My Fair Lady in Houston and USA tour. The Makropulous Case in Oslo.

Future Plans: Parsifal in Copenhagen, Andrea Chenier on the lake stage in Bregenz, a new revised version of Penderecki's The Devils in Warsaw, The Rape of Lucretia and Mathis Der Maler in Vienna, Tosca in Savonlinna, Albert Herring in Montepulciano, Faust in Dresden, Murder in The Cathedral and The Gambler in Frankfurt, Simon Boccanegra in Strasbourg.

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