Conor Mitchell

Conor Mitchell is a Northern Irish composer, librettist and theatre-maker. ^[1]

His play, The Dummy Tree, was commissioned by the Royal National Theatre for their 2009 New Connections series. ^[2]

Early life and education

Conor Mitchell grew up in Lurgan, Northern Ireland, where he attended school. His family line includes a long history of Irish folk musicians from County Armagh. He was later educated at Methodist College, Belfast and the University of York, where he studied music with the composers David Blake and Nicola LeFanu

Personal Life

Mitchell identifies as a member of the queer community ^[3] and has written several works that highlight the rights of gay people. He has publicly shared his struggle with alcoholism, which nearly claimed his life. He entered recovery in 2014 and has since become an advocate for others battling addiction ^[4] .

Career

Mitchell’s major influences are Benjamin Britten, Stephen Sondheim, Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill, and Friedrich Dürrenmatt.

Complete Works

Music theatre

• Have a Nice Life ^[5]
• Goblin Market ^[6] based on Christina Rossetti's poem Goblin Market
• Matilde ^[7] based on Guy de Maupassant's story, "La Parure" (The Necklace).
• Merry Christmas Betty Ford ^[8]
• The Dummy Tree For the National Theatre's Connections festival.
• Ten Plagues - A Song Cycle (2011, text by Mark Ravenhill)
• The C**t of Queen Catherine - a recitation for actor and ensemble,(2016) first performed by The Belfast Ensemble at the MAC, Belfast.
• Propaganda
• The Young Pornographers
• Riot Symphony: The Sun Still Shines (2024) with Ulster Orchestra based on Pussy Riot, Sinéad O'Connor, & Sophie Scholl ^{[9] [10]}

Opera

• The Musician ^[11]
• Our Day (2012) a short opera. Libretto by Mark Ravenhill
• Abomination - A DUP Opera (2018)

Film

• Pretty Face

References

1. "Conor Mitchell". Daily Express . 4 February 2005. Retrieved 17 February 2009.
2. Royal National Theatre, New Connections Plays 2009 Archived 2009-04-16 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved on 2009-02-17.
3. Mitchell, Conor. "It all comes back to 'darling Peter': setting Britten and Pears's love letters to music". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
4. Little, Ivan. "I've come through hell to beat alcoholism that nearly killed me, says composer Conor Mitchell". The Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
5. Cripps, Charlotte (27 May 2003). "Like to get to know you well". The Independent . London. Retrieved 17 February 2009.^{[ dead link ]}
6. "Hungry young Goblins". The Irish News . 16 August 2003. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2009.
7. Rudden, Liam (15 August 2008). "Mathilde makes it to the stage". The Scotsman . Edinburgh. Retrieved 17 February 2009.
8. "Merry Christmas Betty Ford - Lyric Theatre, Belfast". The Irish Times . 15 December 2005. Retrieved 17 February 2009.
9. "'Russian protest punk and symphonies might seem worlds apart. But the idea is the same: weaponise your art'". The Guardian. 7 May 2024.
10. "Riot Symphony composer Conor Mitchell: 'I'm hoping that one of Pussy Riot will come to the concert'". Irish Times. 4 May 2024.
11. "Classical Music". The Belfast Telegraph . 5 December 2008. Retrieved 17 February 2009.

External links

• Connor Mitchell biography on the Youth Music Theatre UK web site