Highlights
- Previously unstaged Tavener work discovered in manuscript form
- Production led by Sir David Pountney with choreography by Shobana Jeyasingh
- World premiere scheduled for 4 June 2026 in Surrey
A rediscovered work finds the stage
Grange Park Opera will present the first-ever staging of Krishna, a major opera by Sir John Tavener, on 4 June 2026.
Completed in 2005, the work remained in manuscript form for years and had never been performed publicly. The discovery of the score has led to what the company describes as a landmark addition to the British operatic repertoire.
A collaboration of leading creative figures
The production will be directed by Sir David Pountney, with choreography by Shobana Jeyasingh. Together, they will bring Tavener’s final opera to life in Surrey before a planned staging at Houston Grand Opera in autumn 2027.
Founder and chief executive Wasfi Kani said the scale of Tavener’s manuscript, consisting of hundreds of large sheets, made clear the significance of the project soon after it was examined.
A mystic vision of Krishna
Tavener described Krishna as a “mystic pantomime”, blending ritualised tableaux, dance and vivid orchestration. The opera unfolds across 15 vignettes depicting the cyclical nature of Krishna’s life, from his birth in response to the earth’s suffering to his return to paradise.
A celestial narrator links the human and divine realms, while an unusual musical palette, including flutes positioned around the stage, creates an ethereal soundscape.
Tavener’s spiritual legacy
Widely regarded as one of the most distinctive British composers of the post-war era, Tavener was known for deeply spiritual works shaped by his interest in multiple religious traditions. His long friendship with King Charles III reflected shared views on the importance of faith across cultures.
Among his best-known compositions is Song for Athene, famously performed at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Context within a wider career
Born in London in 1944 and trained at the Royal Academy of Music, Tavener first gained attention with The Whale in 1968. Over the decades he developed a distinctive style rooted in religious contemplation, producing works such as The Protecting Veil and The Lamb.
He completed Krishna eight years before his death in 2013, drawing on his late interest in Hindu philosophy alongside longstanding spiritual themes.
A significant moment for British opera
Grange Park Opera will present the first-ever staging of KrishnaGrange Park Opera
The upcoming premiere not only introduces a previously unheard work by a major composer but also reflects the growing dialogue between Western classical traditions and South Asian spiritual narratives on the operatic stage.
Its debut in Surrey next summer is set to offer audiences a rare opportunity to experience a major addition to Tavener’s catalogue more than two decades after it was written.
