Irish composer Gerald Barry’s latest opera, based on the literary works of Lewis Carroll, receives its European premiere at the Barbican in November, in a concert performance. Barry describes it as ‘the next logical step’ following on from The Importance of Being Earnest. The composer has earned a formidable reputation for his operatic works, and has a wildly inventive musical style based on parody, quotation, and virtuoso pastiche of a variety of musical languages. For this performance Canadian soprano Barbara Hannigan sings the role of Alice, and will be joined by a stellar cast and Britten Sinfonia, conducted by Thomas Adès.

Opera through the looking glass: Lewis Carroll meets classical music’s funniest living composer in Gerald Barry’s uproarious new opera.

The surreal imagination of Carroll collides with the off-the-wall humour of the composer in what’ll surely be the most entertaining operatic premiere of the year. Nothing’s as it seems: apart from a knockout cast conducted by Thomas Adès.

The inimitable Barbara Hannigan sings the role of Alice – and if you saw her in Barry’s The Importance of Being Earnest, you definitely won’t want to miss her in this: Barry’s described it as ’the next logical step‘. The Daily Telegraph, meanwhile, described Barry’s last opera as ’completely bonkers‘ – which is probably nearer the mark. Only a Mad Hatter would miss Alice.