John Buller (b. 1927), whose adaptation of Euripides's Bacchae is the latest new opera to be presented by English National Opera, is an extraordinary and peculiarly attractive figure among postwar British composers.
When Manuela Vargas, as the unfortunate Agave, says a few words near the end of Salvador Tavora's striking flamenco version of "The Bacchae," it's a shock to realize that you're hearing her speak for the very first time.