Guildhall questions: Oliver Leith answers

Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Royal Opera House Doctoral Composer-in-Residence Oliver Leith talks to us about his new opera, Last Days, opening next week in the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre.

Based on the film Last Days, this haunting world premiere brings a modern tale of self-destruction to the opera stage. The libretto is by Matt Copson, who directs the opera alongside Anna Morrissey.

After studying composition at undergraduate and masters level at Guildhall School, Oliver Leith has been commissioned by many world-leading ensembles and festivals, and he has been the recipient of an Ivor Novello award in 2020, British Composer Award in 2016 and of a Royal Philharmonic Composition prize in 2014.

Oliver is the fourth participant in this collaborative programme between Guildhall School and The Royal Opera – one of the first examples of an opera company and conservatoire joining forces to offer a Composer-in-Residence studentship which leads to a doctoral degree.

We caught up with Oliver ahead of the premiere of Last Days to find out about the opera, his experience as the ROH/Guildhall Composer-in-Residence, and his top tips for aspiring composers.

Can you tell us about your new opera in a nutshell, and your inspiration for it?

Last Days is a very adapted version of Gus Van Sant's film of the same name. It portrays the last few days of a successful musician, Blake – who is loosely based on Kurt Cobain. Tonally we (Matt Copson and I) were attracted to the film, in fact it started off as a reference for works that make the ‘everyday’ sublime. It took a little while to work out that it was actually the opera.  

How has it been working at the Royal Opera House over the last few months? 

Tiring and joyful, the amount of work and support behind the scenes has been illuminating. I’ve never experienced anything like it – everyone there is in the business of magic. It belongs to everybody who has ploughed their imaginations into it. 

What are you most looking forward to about Friday’s premiere?

This opera is the thing I am most proud of, and involved my favourite people to work with – old and new. I spent three years working on it and I want it to be in the world. 

How do you feel being the ROH/Guildhall School Composer-in-Residence has contributed to your development as a composer?

It has afforded me the freedom and resources to do something ambitious, to take time and risks. Hard to not make that sound like a brochure, but it is true. I couldn’t have made this without the opportunity and with the help, trust and faith of everyone involved. Hope it's not misspent.

What have you most enjoyed about studying composition at Guildhall? What have been some of your highlights of your time at the School?

Teachers and friends and teachers who have become friends: Richard Baker, Paul Newland and Julian Philips, to name a few. A highlight and very important moment for me was working with James Weeks and EXAUDI. At the time I was, for some reason, finding writing music a chore… but when EXAUDI did this magical sing of my piece, it was the first time something had sounded as I’d imagined, and with smiles. And it reminded me why I’d wanted to do all this stuff. That special feeling.

What are your plans for the future?

Finish all the music that I haven’t written as I’ve been in rehearsal for a month and a bit. And then … doing this again, but bigger. More people. Maybe some automatons. 

What would be your top tip for any budding composers?

I like writing music that I like… but not everyone is into that. It does help me, though. I think my main piece of advice would be don’t be reverent to anything.

Performances of Last Days take place on 7, 8, 10, and 11 October 2022 in the Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House. Music by Oliver Leith. Libretto by Matt Copson and Oliver Leith. Directed by Anna Morrissey and Matt Copson. Find out more at roh.org.uk