George Benjamin visited Ojai for the first time in January. In two events – one in Ojai on January 18 at the Wachtells and another in Los Angeles on January 19 at the Rosens – George confessed to having had a personal spy over the years who kept him up to date on everything about Ojai. Her name was Betty Freeman, one of George’s closest and dearest friends. Betty was aware of George’s coming to Ojai this June as music director, and promised she would be there looking after him in some way. We kept George busy with these two events, several press interviews in Ojai and LA, and planning meetings. His infectious enthusiasm and energy proved contagious to everyone. The visit was marred by only one thing – incessant rain. It poured so hard while in Ojai, the only time he actually saw Libbey Bowl was 9pm one evening when there was a slight break in the deluge. I have promised him, and in fact offered to put it in his contract, that when he returns in June, the weather will be “better”! He laughed and admitted he found even a drenched Ojai alluring.
Click here to watch video highlights from the two events with George. In the first two, we talk about his compelling chamber opera, Into the Little Hill, which by the way was recently hailed "opera of the decade" by the London Telegraph.
-- Tom Morris
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