Krishna (opera)

{{Short description|2005 opera by John Taverner}}

{{Italic title}}

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Krishna (alternately titled Krsnalīla or The Play of Krishna), is an opera composed by John Tavener to his own libretto.{{cite web |title=Tavener’s Hindu opera Krishna to be given world premiere in 2024 |url=https://www.wisemusicclassical.com/features/2020/04/tavener-s-opera-krishna/ |website=wisemusicclassical.com}} It was his final work.

In 2020 David Pountney, former artistic director of the Welsh National Opera, announced that Krishna, which was completed in 2005 but had remained in manuscript form, will be staged by Grange Park Opera. Pountney will direct the production,{{cite news|author=Mark Brown|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/apr/08/john-taveners-magical-last-opera-to-be-staged-for-first-time-prince-charles-krishna |title=John Tavener's 'magical' last opera to be staged for first time |newspaper=The Guardian|date=8 April 2020 |access-date=8 April 2020}} and it will premiere in 2026.{{cite web |title=The world première of Krishna: June 2026 |url=https://grangeparkopera.co.uk/2020/04/world-premiere-krishna/ |publisher=Grange Park Opera|date=8 April 2020}} The opera was introduced to Pountney in 2013 by Prince Charles, a former friend of Tavener.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.tatler.com/article/prince-charles-rediscovers-unknown-john-tavener-opera-krishna|title=When Prince Charles turned his hand to reviving an unknown opera|first=Hope|last=Coke|date=8 April 2020|magazine=Tatler}}

In the opera, a narrator, a baritone role, recounts 14 vignettes from the life if Krishna in English, except for one scene in Sanskrit.[https://www.wisemusicclassical.com/work/57640/Krishna--John-Tavener/ "Krishna (2005)"], work details, wisemusicclassical.com