Dean Burry (born 1972 in
St. John's,
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
) is a Canadian composer, librettist, and educator. He is best known for his operatic adaptation of
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''.
From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlinson ...
's ''
The Hobbit''.
Early life
Burry began his passion in music at age 10. He was inspired by a teacher to compete in piano competitions. He was also interested in theater, writing plays and musicals for his school drama club.
College
Burry first attended college at
Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University (also Mount A or MtA) is a Canadian primarily undergraduate liberal arts university located in Sackville, New Brunswick, founded in 1839.
Mount Allison was the first university in the British Empire to award a baccal ...
in
Sackville, New Brunswick. While at Mount Allison, he produced and conducted ''The Resurrection'', ''Joe and Mary Had a Baby'', and ''Unto the Earth: Vignettes of a War''. He later went to the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...
and studied composition.
Awards
*In 2011, Burry was given the
Louis Applebaum Composers Award.
Music
Operas
*''Unto the Earth: Vignettes of a War''
*''The Brothers Grimm'' ''(for the
Canadian Opera Company
The Canadian Opera Company (COC) is an opera company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest opera company in Canada and one of the largest producers of opera in North America. The COC performs at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performin ...
)''
*''The Hobbit'' ''(for the
Canadian Children’s Opera Company)''
*''The Vinland Traveller''
*''Isis and the Seven Scorpions'' ''(for the
Canadian Opera Company
The Canadian Opera Company (COC) is an opera company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest opera company in Canada and one of the largest producers of opera in North America. The COC performs at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performin ...
)''
*''Pandora's Locker'' ''(for
The Glenn Gould School at
The Royal Conservatory of Music)''
*''A Creature of Habit''
*''Baby Kintyre''
*''The Mummers' Masque''
*''The Bremen Town Musicians'' ''(for
Opera Lyra Ottawa)''
*''Angela and Her Sisters''
*''The Secret World of OG'' ''(for the
Canadian Children’s Opera Company)''
*''Le nez de la sorcière''
*''The Bells of Baddeck''
*''The Sword in the Schoolyard''
*''Shanawdithit''
The official website of composer/librettist Dean Burry - Shawnadithit
/ref> ''(for Tapestry Opera)''
Musical Theatre
*''Under the Night''
*''Emily of New Moon''
*''Rainbow Valley''
*''Songs of the Island (for the Charlottetown Festival)''
*''Home and Away (for Live Bait Theatre)''
*''The Heart That Knows (for Live Bait Theatre)''
*''Sweetheart: The Mary Pickford Story''
*''Beacon of Light''
See also
* Music Contributors from ''The Hobbit''
* List of Canadian composers
* List of University of Toronto people
References
External links
Dean Burry Interview on Brothers Grimm opera
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burry, Dean
1972 births
Living people
Canadian composers
Canadian male composers
Musicians from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
University of Toronto alumni
Mount Allison University alumni