A third opera from Nyman, on two long CDs a rather sectional work with plenty of melodic and particularly rhythmic interest, narrowly exploring the possibilities of an initial set of material, rather like Glass's The Voyage or Waiting for the barbarians, or Meistersinger or Parsifal. It begins inauspiciously with a musicalish dreary introduction but that's part of a wider plan: clearly much effort has gone into this and admiration increases as the piece progresses. It has only two singers plus his own band of 15 or so players: Helen Williams who sings the mathematician is really superb and obviously has all the intelligence and sophistication of the part; the boxer role is also well characterized. Maybe more thoughts on later listenings, though this is still no match for The Hat, and the libretto is surely a miss.
Have you heard his Goya opera?
Yes indeed. I don't rate it as highly as The Hat, which is looking more and more like his sole little masterpiece.