The work "note to a friend" is based on a famous letter by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, a Japanese writer, explaining his decision to commit suicide in 1927.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Composer David Lang is drawn to narratives where characters question themselves so deeply that their existence becomes a challenge, finding literature and opera safer spaces for such exploration.
Composition History
The composer David Lang was inspired by the Japanese writer Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, whose work he has admired since he was 16.
Composition History
The work "note to a friend" was commissioned by the Japan Society in New York and the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan center in Japan.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Composer David Lang's "note to a friend" is based on his reading of a letter by Japanese writer Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, rather than a biographical account.
Composer Biography
David Lang, the composer, has written two operas about men contemplating suicide, both scored for solo singer and four musicians.
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