Errollyn Warren: the composer shaking up the Last Night of the Proms and Purcell’s operas alike
Operatic composition’s leading lady on revitalising Virgil, mixing classical and pop, and refusing to harbour identity-based ‘grievances’
31 May 2021 • 5:00am
Errollyn Warren s new opera, Dido’s Ghost, will premiere at the Barbican on June 6
Credit: BBC
At last, Errollyn Wallen is having her moment in the sun. Having toiled away for decades on the fringes of contemporary classical music, always labelled “quirky”, never quite accepted, this Belize-born, London-bred composer, now 63, is firmly ensconced at the top table.
She’s written around 20 operas, one of which – Another America: Earth – was premiered at the Royal Opera House; two of her works opened the Paralympic Games in 2012. Last year, Jerusalem – Our Clouded Hills was premiered at the Last Night of the Proms, and she was made a CBE.