French composer Laurent Petitgirard made his name as a film composer and conductor, but he has devoted more and more of his attention to concert and theater music. His first opera, Joseph Merrick, dit Elephant Man, has had remarkable success for a new opera; it has received multiple international productions and several commercial recordings. Guru, his second, is based on a premise that recalls the Jonestown Massacre of 1978; a charismatic, delusional religious leader leads the members of his cult in a mass suicide. At the ...
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French composer Laurent Petitgirard made his name as a film composer and conductor, but he has devoted more and more of his attention to concert and theater music. His first opera, Joseph Merrick, dit Elephant Man, has had remarkable success for a new opera; it has received multiple international productions and several commercial recordings. Guru, his second, is based on a premise that recalls the Jonestown Massacre of 1978; a charismatic, delusional religious leader leads the members of his cult in a mass suicide. At the time of the 2010 recording, the opera (which was commissioned by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication) had not yet been staged. Petitgirard is a musical eclectic and makes use of a variety of contemporary techniques, but 20th century French composers like Poulenc and Messiaen are among the most obvious influences, and his style is essentially lyrical. His versatility as a film composer serves him well in his depiction of dramatic situations. Petitgirard is a master of...
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