A Midsummer Night's Dream (1960) - Baron Britten
May 19, 2016 20:16:33 GMT -5
Post by Uncle Henry on May 19, 2016 20:16:33 GMT -5
The Suffolk composer Baron Britten is described as "a central figure in modern British music" but is very little regarded in lands beyond. He had no interest in harmony, that is probably the principal reason for that.
Here is a three-act opera he put out in 1960 which sets Shakespere's "Dream of a Midsummer Night".
The original play is an anomaly among Shakespere's works, in that it is very little concerned with character, and very largely concerned with psychology. The Baron follows this to a large extent, but subtly alters the psychological focus of the work. The introduction of a chorus of boy-fairies means that the opera becomes greatly concerned with the theme of purity. It is these juvenile fairies who eventually quell the libidinous activities of the quartette of lovers, as they sing a beautiful melody on the three "motto chords" (also on the four "magic" chords) of the second act: "Jack shall have Jill/Naught shall go ill/The man shall have his mare again/And all shall be well." Sung by boys, it could be considered that this goes beyond irony, and represents an idealised vision of a paradise of innocence and purity that Britten seems to have been captivated by throughout his life
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Midsummer_Night's_Dream_(opera)"
The parts of the thirteen-year-old fairies are taken here by the Boys' Choir of Trinity School, which is a day school in Croydon. That they have painted their faces though is a matter greatly to be regretted.
The duration of the performance, given at Aix-en-Provence, is three hours fifteen minutes. The sub-titles are in the French language, but we doubt that will present a hurdle to our erudite membership. There are lengthy intervals.
Click HERE to see this performance, which contains much that is of interest.
Here is a three-act opera he put out in 1960 which sets Shakespere's "Dream of a Midsummer Night".
The original play is an anomaly among Shakespere's works, in that it is very little concerned with character, and very largely concerned with psychology. The Baron follows this to a large extent, but subtly alters the psychological focus of the work. The introduction of a chorus of boy-fairies means that the opera becomes greatly concerned with the theme of purity. It is these juvenile fairies who eventually quell the libidinous activities of the quartette of lovers, as they sing a beautiful melody on the three "motto chords" (also on the four "magic" chords) of the second act: "Jack shall have Jill/Naught shall go ill/The man shall have his mare again/And all shall be well." Sung by boys, it could be considered that this goes beyond irony, and represents an idealised vision of a paradise of innocence and purity that Britten seems to have been captivated by throughout his life
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Midsummer_Night's_Dream_(opera)"
The parts of the thirteen-year-old fairies are taken here by the Boys' Choir of Trinity School, which is a day school in Croydon. That they have painted their faces though is a matter greatly to be regretted.
The duration of the performance, given at Aix-en-Provence, is three hours fifteen minutes. The sub-titles are in the French language, but we doubt that will present a hurdle to our erudite membership. There are lengthy intervals.
Click HERE to see this performance, which contains much that is of interest.
