Description
The opera is based on Christopher Marlowe's play Edward II, which combines the story of Edward and Gaveston with the deposition of Edward 11 by Mortimer and the overthrow of Mortimer and Edward's queen Isabella of France by Edward Ill. The opera is in two parts, of four and three scenes respectively, and is performed without a break. “Benjamin has stayed faithful to his librettist, Martin Crimp, who has written another spare text, dense in suggestive meanings. Some of the same collaborators are back, notably soprano Barbara Hannigan and, most important, the opera again explores how a forbidden love can lead to acts of horrific violence, a theme that is evidently close to the creators' hearts. A sense of Deja vu is not necessarily a bad thing. Benjamin and Crimp had already proved that they can produce work of exceptional quality and that is true again of Lessons in Love and Violence. At just 90 minutes, this is an opera of impressive concentration with not a word or note wasted.” - Gramophone"