Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.It seems that composer George Benjamin and his regular librettist, Martin Crimp, have an eye for a story. Each of the operas on which they have collaborated has a dramatic narrative that is at once original and layered with meaning.The latest fruit of their work is Picture a Day Like This, lasting just over one hour and given its premiere at the Aix-en-Provence festival last year. This live recording was made during that first run of performances, though the technical quality is so good that nobody would know.A woman has lost her child just as it was old enough “to speak whole sentences”. On being told that her child can be brought back to life if she finds a happy person and cuts a button from their sleeve, she goes on a quest, engaging in a series of unsuccessful encounters. When she does finally meet a woman who seems to be a good match, the outcome is not what she expected.There is a once-upon-a-time quality to the work that is reflected in the music’s carefully judged refusal to offer easy, tangible answers. This is the most intimate of Benjamin’s stage works and the instrumental ensemble is a small one, though one might not realise that from the range of sounds he is able to create. As always, Benjamin is very specific about every instrumental timbre.The performance, conducted by the composer, is impeccable in its precision. Marianne Crebassa sings the Woman and the roles of the people she meets are shared between Anna Prohaska, Beate Mordal, Cameron Shahbazi and John Brancy, all excellent.★★★★☆‘Benjamin: Picture a Day Like This’ is released by Nimbus Records
