“I think it’s a very dark piece,” Birtwistle told Reuters before the curtains went up on the eagerly anticipated work.

I had to laugh at that quote after reading this description:

A group of Innocents is sacrificed to the beast in his lair as a crowd around the bull ring bays for blood. One is raped, and vulture-like, screaming Keres tear the hearts from the victims.

(Read here.)