Intermezzo

Mittwoch aus Licht - Birmingham world premiere

Mittwoch aus Licht - Argyle Works Birmingham, 22 August 2012 (World Premiere)

The last opera in Stockhausen's Licht cycle to remain unperformed, Mittwoch received its belated world premiere on Wednesday. It would have been the composer's 84th birthday. Had he still been around, he would have performed the part he wrote for himself - compere of the notorious Helikopter-Streichquartett. That role was assigned instead to the cheesily effective ("Let's hear it for Stockhausen!") DJ Nihal, who rattled the chin-stroking fraternity by treating the whole thing as a Radio 1 Big Weekend with beards.

Stockhausen does pub opera

Beat this King's Head.

The Spotted Dog pub in Digbeth, Birmingham will be live-streaming this afternoon's performance of Mittwoch aus Licht on their big screen. All six hours of it.

Mittwoch aus Licht streamed live in full

Missed out on tickets? Birmingham Opera Company are to stream the whole of Thursday's six-hour performance of Mittwoch aus Licht live.

*Important* - you need to sign up in advance to get the link.

Also, the Helicopter String Quartet section of Wednesday's world premiere (but not the whole opera) will be live-streamed on The Space at around 7pm.

A special website page has been set up with more information about the production.

Stockhausen's chopper opera is open for booking

In case you didn't realise - and I didn't - Birmingham Opera have quietly opened booking for their August world premiere of Stockhausen's Mittwoch aus Licht, aka 'The Helicopter Opera'.

The six-part work is unquestionably THE event of the otherwise quotidian London 2012 Festival. Given the cost and complexity, further stagings are unlikely, so this may be a true once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Only 275 places [UPDATE 21/6 - now 350] are available for each of the four shows (22, 23, 24 and 25 August). Opening night is nearly sold out but there are more tickets left for the others at the time of writing.

Tickets are £35 and payment is by Paypal only. There is no reserved seating.

Here's the plan:

• 4pm GREETING - audience promenades on it ways to attend the...
• 5pm WORLD PARLIAMENT - seated on mats and cushions (provided)
• Interval 20 minutes
• 6pm ORCHESTRA FINALISTS - seated on mats and cushions
• 7pm HELICOPTER STRING QUARTET - seated on chairs and moderated by Guest DJ Nihal
• Interval 20 minutes
• 8pm MICHAELION - seated on mats and cushions
• after which the audience promenades out through...
• 9pm FAREWELL
• 10.15pm ending