Philip Venables

Collaborative composer Philip Venables is described as 'an arrestingly original musical personality' by Alex Ross in The New Yorker and as 'one of the finest composers around' by The Guardian.

Philip’s output covers opera, music theatre, multimedia concert works, chamber music and song, an eclectic range of styles and influences, and themes such as social politics, violence, gender and storytelling.

Their previous two operas, 4.48 Psychosis (2016, text by Sarah Kane) and Denis & Katya (2019, text by Ted Huffman), have been performed by leading companies in London, New York City, Strasbourg, Dresden, Amsterdam, Philadelphia, Paris, Hannover and Montpellier. The operas have won numerous accolades including the Fedora Prize, an RPS Award, and an Ivor Novello Award, as well as shortlisted nominations for an Olivier Award and Sky Arts South Bank Award. The Times branded 4.48 Psychosis“a new brand of opera” and The New York Times Denis & Katya as “an intimate, haunting triumph.”

2021 saw a major focus on Philip’s work in the Festival d’Automne à Paris and Philip’s professional conducting debut with the London Sinfonietta, as well as the premiere of Answer Machine Tape, 1987 with Zubin Kanga. Philip was a MacDowell Fellow in 2017, doctoral composer in residence with the Royal Operaand the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in 2014–2016, and elected Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in 2016. Philip’s work is published by Ricordi.

2022/23 sees further performances of Answer Machine Tape, 1987, Denis & Katya and 4.48 Psychosis, and the world premiere of their third opera, The Faggots and their Friends Between Revolutions.

Photo credit Harald Hoffman