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Stockhausen opera premiere set in UK

LONDON (AP) — Birmingham Opera Company is planning the first complete performance of Karlheinz Stockhausen's opera "Mittwoch" as part of the London 2012 Festival in August.

The company said Tuesday this would be the first performance of all six parts of the opera, lasting five hours.

Graham Vick will direct the more than 150 performers including two choirs, live electronic and acoustic music and a string quartet streamed from four helicopters flying overhead.

There will be four performances, staged in Birmingham, on Aug. 22-25.

Stockhausen, who died in 2007, composed "Mittwoch" as part of a huge cycle with one opera for each day of the week. The festival sponsors said "Mittwoch" is the only one he never saw performed.