'Mary Finsterer is an Australian composer who is internationally respected and locally cherished for her many works, including the soundtracks to Die Hard 4 (2007) and Shirley Barrett’s 2010 film South Solitary, the opera Biographica (2017), written with librettist Tom Wright, Catch (2004), an album of her award-winning work released through ABC Classics/Universal, and innumerable commissions for ensembles, orchestras and residencies. She has had a long teaching career and received many prestigious awards. Her latest project, the innovative opera Antarctica, also written with Wright, debuted at the Holland Festival this year and will have its Australian premiere at the Sydney Festival in January.' (Introduction)