The Love Bomb And Other Musical Pieces

Three LibrettiRanging In Setting From Ancient Jerusalem To Pre-Apocalyptic LondonFrom An Acclaimed Poet This volume of libretti marks new workand new terrainfor James Fenton. Commissioned by companies in New York and England, these musical pieces make the most of the poet's poignant, witty, and characteristically lyrical verse. Whether evoking modern-day London on the edge of apocalypse inThe Love Bomb, a timeless land beyond the moon in this version of Salman Rushdie's children's novelHaroun and the Sea of Stories, or ancient Jerusalem in his stirring oratorioThe Fall of Jerusalem,which was composed to mark the millennium, Fenton's lucid storytelling and stylish wordplay bring these pieces vividly to lifewith equal power in performance or on the page. Haroun and the Sea of Storieswas commissioned by the New York City Opera and is scheduled to receive its premiere at Lincoln Center in September 2003.

A noted poet and former theater critic, James Fenton writes about poetry, art, and history for The New York Review of Books. His most recent book is An Introduction to English Poetry (FSG, 2003).