Last and First Men is Jóhann Jóhannsson’s poetic swansong. The Icelandic composer was working on the score of his magnum opus at the time of his death in February 2018, distilling and intensifying the symphonic sound world that he had premiered at Manchester International Festival (MIF) little more than six months earlier.

Oscar-winning Tilda Swinton narrates the piece as the doomed 18th species of mankind, reaching out to us, the first, to tell us the story of the extinction of humanity. Inspired by Olaf Stapledon’s eponymous science-fiction novel, Jóhannsson devised the multimedia work’s visual concept, travelled to the former Yugoslavia, with cinematographer Stuart Brandth Grovlen, to shoot footage of isolated locations and futuristic war memorials, then set about marrying the haunting images to music.

Following full symphony performances in Manchester, London’s Barbican Hall and Sydney Opera House, this live multimedia experience will be the first opportunity for audiences to experience the definitive score performed by a live orchestral ensemble combined with film, narration, lighting and live electronics and harmonium performed co-composer Yair Elazar Glotman and vocals by  Theatre of Voices.

Premiered at MIF17: 6 Jul 2017

Saint Pölten

18 Feb 23

Festspielhaus Saint Pölten

Brussels

25 Mar 23

Klarafestival

Jóhann Jóhannsson Director & Composer

Yair Elazar Glotman Co-composer & Musical Director

Anthony Weeden Orchestration and Arrangement

Sturla Brandth Grøvlen Cinematographer

Erzählung von José Enrique Macián und Jóhann Jóhannsson nach dem Roman von Olaf Stapledon Text from Last and First Men

Rick Will Technical Director

Stuart Bailes Lighting Designer

Tilda Swinton Film Narrator

Else Torp, Kate Macoboy Soloists

Viktor Orri Árnason Conductor

Commissioned by Manchester International Festival, the Barbican Centre and Sydney Opera House for Vivid LIVE.

Orchestra depends on the city of the performance and include BBC Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic and Tonkunstler Orchestra.

Film co-produced by  Flanders Festival Kortrijk with the support of GoneWest, Province of West-Flanders.

The Estate of Jóhann Jóhannsson is managed by RedBird Music.