Nitin Sawhney to premiere oratorio inspired by Booker Prize novel
Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 18 Oct, 13:31 · Archive
Composer Nitin Sawhney will premiere Orbiting Orbital, a new oratorio inspired by Samantha Harvey's Booker Prize-winning novel Orbital, at Oxford's Schwarzman Centre on November 6 and 7.
Composer Nitin Sawhney will premiere the oratorio Orbiting Orbital at Oxford's Schwarzman Centre on November 6 and 7. The world premiere will take place at the Sohmen Concert Hall as part of a multimedia production combining readings, music and images to explore themes from Samantha Harvey's Booker Prize-winning novel Orbital, which follows six astronauts over 24 hours on an orbiting space station.
The production features six new poems by Harvey, each with an original musical accompaniment, alongside a cantata composed and performed by Sawhney with members of his band and the Fantasia Orchestra. The immersive staging also includes drawings by artist Antony Gormley and photography by Mary McCartney, with filmed reflections from Professor Brian Cox and other invited voices providing readings.
Commissioned by the Schwarzman Centre, the project was developed over the past year in collaboration with Oxford University academics led by Professor Yadvinder Malhi. Sawhney, a Novello Award-winning composer, said he was 'quietly but profoundly moved' when he first read Orbital whilst serving as a Booker Prize judge in 2024. Harvey described the project as 'a miraculous expansion' of her novel that had helped her see and connect with her own work in new ways.
How it is being reported
- Nitin Sawhney to premiere new oratorio inspired by Booker Prize novelNitin Sawhney will premiere Orbiting Orbital at Oxford’s Schwarzman Centre on November 6 and 7, inspired by Samantha Harvey’s Booker Prize-winning novel.Oxfordshire Guardian · 18 Oct, 13:00
- Nitin Sawhney to premiere new oratorio inspired by Booker Prize novelNitin Sawhney will premiere Orbiting Orbital at Oxford’s Schwarzman Centre on November 6 and 7, inspired by Samantha Harvey’s Booker Prize-winning novel.Oxford Mail · 18 Oct, 13:00
In this story: Nitin Sawhney · Samantha Harvey · Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities · Antony Gormley · Mary McCartney · Brian Cox · Oxford
This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem
Comments (0)