In 1483, the 12-year-old King Edward V of England and his nine-year-old brother Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York were ‘lodged’ in the Tower of London by their uncle, Richard Duke of Gloucester, the then Lord Protector. Soon after, the boys were declared illegitimate, and Uncle Richard ascended the throne as Richard III. Scarcely seen again, the children seemingly disappeared, murdered most likely, but by who?

Born in 1999, Brisbane-based composer Alexander Voltz (who signs his work as A. D. K. Voltz) is as interested in myth as he is in politics and history. Now he’s combined all three of his enthusiasms in a brand-new chamber opera: Edward and Richard: The True Story of the Princes in the Tower, which will premiere this month in Brisbane. Limelight caught up with him to learn about finding his way into composition and his intriguing theories about one of the world’s darkest, unsolved mysteries.

Growing up as a young musician in Queensland, what made you interested in becoming a composer?

It was the alignment of a few stars, I think. My father, Bradley Voltz, is a musician, so I have been surrounded by music all my life. When I was young, we used to go...