Born: 1968, Graz, Austria

Olga Neuwirth intended to become a jazz trumpeter until a car accident shattered her jaw at 15. She redirected her attention to composition, studying music – as well as painting and film – in San Francisco, and later in Vienna, where her thesis was on the music in Alan Resnais’ film L’amour à mort. At age 22 she gained international recognition for two short theater pieces on works by Nobel Prize winner Elfriede Jelinek.

Her work covers a wide range of genres and media, but with an emphasis on theater and film; she is currently working on an opera for the Vienna Staatsoper. The Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group gave the U.S. premiere of her Hommage à Klaus Nomi in 2015 under John Adams.

Further listening:
Lost Highway (2002-2003)
Jodi Melnick, Rodolfo Seas-Araya, Grayson Millwood, others; Johannes Kalitzke (Kairos)