James Garner

Composer • Educator • Musical Director

For soloists, chorus and orchestra
Libretto by Patrick J. Hansen after William Shakespeare
Commissioned by Opera McGill with Early Modern Conversions

World Premiere: 2024, Monument National, Montréal, QC
Director: Amanda Kellock
Conductor: Stephen Hargreaves

For soloists, chamber ensemble & electronics
Commissioned by The Opera Story; shortlisted for the Fedora Opera Prize 2021

World Premiere: 06/04/22, Brixton Jamm, London
Director: James Hurley
Conductor: Berrak Dyer

For mezzo-soprano, baritone and piano
Libretto by David Parry
Duration: 4’
Commissioned by The Opera Story for “Episodes”, winner of the RPS Inspiration Award 2020.

Online Premiere: 06/08/20

For baritone and piano
Song text based on Erik Satie’s letters
Original stage play Seven Velvet Suits written by Anna Pool and Andre Flynn
Duration: 10’
Commissioned by BasicSpace Festival

Haunting little gem…
Self-effacing, spooky, private, and reflective… Seven Velvet Suits is all of those things.
Original Direction: Anna Pool
Original Production Design: Anna Driftmier

For soprano, mezzo-soprano, baritone and string trio with percussion doublings
Libretto by Anna Pool
Duration: 40’
Commissioned by English Touring Opera for their UK tour

Blown away (…) this is why we do opera.
Original Direction: Anna Pool
Original Production Design: Anna Driftmier

For soprano, mezzo-soprano and 2 celli
Libretto by Anna Pool
Duration: 7’
Commissioned by Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival

UnconGENIEal managed to be very funny indeed… highly effectively scored for two singers and two cellos…
Original Stage Direction: Oliver Platt
Original Musical Direction: Timothy Burke

for 8 singers and 8-piece ensemble
Libretto by Anna Pool
Duration: 40’
Commissioned by workshOPERA

Utterly accomplished in all respects.
A magically surreal, amusing and moving little opera (…) gleaming with creativity and humour. Melodious, atmospheric music by Garner brings warmth, sincerity and tension to a fierily original libretto. (His) restrained palette of piano, celeste, wind and strings makes an alternatively strong and delicate sound…
It’s not often I come out of a performance of anything wreathed in smiles and feeling at ease with the world…
Original Direction: Anna Pool
Original Production Design: Anna Driftmier

for David Mamet’s translation of the play by Anton Chekhov
Duration: 15’
Milton Court Theatre, Barbican Centre (dir. Wyn Jones)