Max Richter performs eight-and-a-half-hour Sleep concerts while remaining awake throughout the night

Max Richter, one of the best-known composers in contemporary classical music, is set to perform his album "Sleep" for the 27th and 28th occasions next week at Alexandra Palace.

The London-based composer, who has also lived in Berlin and the countryside outside Oxford, has made a name for himself by creating captivating music for various mediums. From plays and operas to ballets, films, and TV shows, Richter's work spans a wide range of artistic genres.

"Sleep," an album nearly eight and a half hours long, was written to fit the rhythms of a human's natural sleep cycle. The concert, which is more of an "anti-performance," is designed to accompany the audience as they drift off to sleep.

The setup for these unique concerts includes piano, computers, five strings, a vocalist, and Max Richter himself. The power dynamics are different from traditional performances, as the audience trusts each other to go to sleep, and the performers are there to facilitate this peaceful slumber.

Richter's string track "On the Nature of Daylight" has been used in multiple works, and his music has accumulated over three billion streams. His compositions have been featured in various productions, including "Ad Astra," "My Brilliant Friend," "Black Mirror," "Arrival," "Shutter Island," "The Handmaid's Tale," and "The Last of Us."

In addition to the full-length "Sleep" concerts, Richter is also releasing a 90-minute version themed on the "hypnagogic" state between being awake and sleeping. This shorter version aims to capture the transitional state between consciousness and unconsciousness, mirroring the dreamlike quality of his longer work.

Richter's rural Oxfordshire studio serves as a counterbalance to their data-saturated work. Shared with his artist wife Yulia Mahr, the studio provides a peaceful environment where Richter can continue to create his unique and captivating music.

Whether you're a fan of classical music or simply looking for a unique and immersive experience, Max Richter's "Sleep" concerts promise to be a memorable event. Don't miss your chance to witness this extraordinary performance at Alexandra Palace next week.