The eclectic career of multi award-winning composer Laurent Petitgirard has seen him become one of France’s leading musicians and conductors, as well as taking him into the worlds of opera and ballet. The Journey to the West is a ballet that tells the story of a monk named Xuanzang who is sent on a perilous journey of redemption from China to India in order to seek out the scriptures of Truth in the Land of Buddha. The ordeals of Xuanzang and his companions are expressed in music that reflects the poetry and spiritual elevation found in this great monument of Chinese literature.

Laurent Petitgirard’s composing career has already spanned five decades, achieving prominence with operas such as Joseph Merrick, The Elephant Man (Naxos 855760809 and DVD Marco Polo 2220001) in a score that is a ‘very French sound-world… with barely a hint of Messiaen and Boulez. …there is a place in our musical world for operas whose virtues include strong construction and secure understanding of the operatic form, along with fine musical craftsmanship’ (MusicWeb International). Naxos recordings of his orchestral music include States of Mind (8574034), considered ‘very interesting, accessible music’ in the American Record Guide, and The Twelve Guardians of the Temple (8570138), which includes another ballet, Euphonia, considered ‘dramatic and attractive… very impressive’ by MusicWeb International.

Based on the Chinese text Si Yeou Ki, The Journey to the West is a vast, immersive musical canvas that embraces both the high drama and spiritual evolution of the monk Xuanzang’s travels. This recording has the ultimate stamp of authenticity, having been conducted by the composer himself. Creating music for The Journey to the West evolved as an idea since the composer first encountered this book at the age of 16. It is a significant achievement by any cultural standards and will inevitably generate a great deal of interest both in Europe and China.

With six Naxos albums to his name as a composer, as well as a distinguished discography as a conductor and producer of scores for popular TV series such as Maigret, it will hardly be a surprise to hear that there is already a wide following for new releases of Laurent Petitgirard’s compelling music.