Emily Howard: Zatopek! [Live]

Commissioned by Second Movement, Zátopek! is a chamber opera with music by Emily Howard and libretto by Selma Dmitrijevic, inspired by the life and times of iconic Czech long distance runner Emil Zátopek (1922-2000). At the 1952 Helsinki Olympics Zátopek achieved a sensational hat-trick winning gold at 5000m, 10,000m and the marathon, with a winning time at 5000m of 14 minutes and 6 seconds. Zátopek! is a thrilling near-real time musical recreation of this legendary race and celebration of its extraordinary winner. With Second Movement’s Soloists, Ensemble 10/10 and members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir conducted by Clark Rundell.

New Music 20x12 is the brainchild of Jillian Barker and David Cohen who wanted to put new music at the heart of the Olympic celebrations in 2012. It is delivered by PRS for Music in partnership with BBC Radio 3, London 20x12 and NMC Recordings. 

20 outstanding new works, each lasting 12 minutes, commissioned to feature centre stage of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. New Music 20x12 is a UK-wide commissioning programme consisting of twenty new pieces of music, each of 12 minutes in length, celebrating the talent and imagination of the UK’s musical community as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

John McMunn tenor - Emil
Wendy Dawn Thompson mezzo-soprano - Dana
Rosalind Coad soprano - Commentator
Susanne Dymott contralto - Starter/Mother
Peter Brathwaite baritone - Mimoun/Father
Toby Girling baritone - Chataway/Lieutenant Colonel
Kris Belligh baritone - Schade/Mr Bata
Members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir & Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir
Ensemble 10/10
Clark Rundell conductor

AUDIO

REVIEWS

'Emily Howard's short opera is, like its subject, almost insanely ambitious.' ★★★★ The Guardian

'Howard’s mini-opera Zatopek!  Seethes with invention' BBC Music Magazine

'As unreservedly entertaining as the man it pays tribute to' The Liverpool Echo

FUNDERS

New Music 20x12 Partners

RECORDING CREDITS