John Tavener's Last Opera KRISHNA Will Be Staged For the First Time in 2024

According to The Guardian, a newly discovered opera, Krishna, by the late composer Sir John Tavener, will be staged for the first time.

Tavener completed his final opera, Krishna, in 2005 but it has remained unknown since then.

In 2013, Prince Charles discovered Krishna, and approached Sir David Pountney, who was then the artistic director of the Welsh National Opera, to ask him to take a look at the piece.

"I did look and I thought yes it was definitely an interesting project," said Pountney. "I was astonished to discover this massive complete work, never performed, and on a subject which is so close to Tavener's music and life. It is a very exciting prospect."

Now, Krishna will be staged by Grange Park Opera, in Surrey, in 2024. Pountney will direct it.

"It is ambitious visually and it has magical elements as well as lots of writing for children's voices and a scene with 14 flutes, some of them floating in mid-air," he said.

Grange Park's founder and chief executive, Wasfi Kani, said, "We are now actively searching for collaborators to give premieres in Europe and, of course, in India. The search for Indian philanthropists begins."

Read more on The Guardian.