Gloriana at the ROH

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Sadly, allmy programmes were thrown away years ago but would love to be reminded of the original cast. Perhaps I could wiki/google for it.

Saly, from the ROH Archives:

Cast

Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex - Peter Pears
Henry Cuffe, a satellite of Essex - Ronald Lewis
Charles Blount, Lord Mountjoy - Geraint Evans
Queen Elizabeth the First - Joan Cross
Sir Walter Raleigh, Captain of the Guard - Frederick Dalberg
Sir Robert Cecil, Secretary of the Council - Arnold Matters
The Recorder of Norwich - Michael Langdon
The Spirit of the Masque - William McAlpine
Penelope (Lady Rich), sister to Essex - Jennifer Vyvyan
Frances, Countess of Essex - Monica Sinclair
A Lady-in-Waiting - Adele Leigh
The Master of Ceremonies - David Tree
A Blind Ballad-Singer - Inia Te Wiate
A Housewife - Edith Coates
The City Crier - Rhydderch Davies
Sir John Harington - Leonard Law
The French Ambassador - Ronald Firmager
Concord, Solo Dancer - Svetlana Beriosova
Time, Solo Dancer - Desmond Doyle
Morris Dancer, Solo Dancer - Johaar Mosevaal
Citizens, Maids of Honour, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Household, Courtiers, Masquers, Old Men, Men and Boys of Essex's Following, Councillors, Country Girls, Rustics and Fishermen, Pages - The Covent Garden Opera Chorus
Students from the Sadler's Wells Ballet School
Children from Kingsland Central School
The Covent Garden Orchestra
Language: English
Durations: Act I: 8.10-8.52pm, Act II: 9.17-9.45pm, Act III: 10.31-11.27pm
Information source: Royal Opera House programme for 8 June 1953 (in Royal Opera House Collections)

[salymap]

Thanks a lot IGI

saly

[VodkaDilc]

Was it common for operas to go on until 11.27pm at that time? Or was it due to the special gala circumstances of the production?

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Was it common for operas to go on until 11.27pm at that time? Or was it due to the special gala circumstances of the production?

It must have been due to the Gala, which didn't start until 8pm. The other performances in the run all started at 7pm and finished around 10:10pm. I think the ROH would have done well to emulate this 7pm start time. With a 7:30pm start, the opera didn't finish until 10:45pm.

[salymap]

I think I stayed with one of my friends who didn't rely on the trains from Charing Cross, then a bus that stopped at 11.45pm.

Not usually late in my experience, although I remember creeping out of Fidelio to catch the last train.

[VodkaDilc]

According to the email I received from ROH this week, there's no interval between Acts 1 and 2, so it ends at 10.05 on Saturday. Much better for those of us who rely on trains.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

According to the email I received from ROH this week, there's no interval between Acts 1 and 2, so it ends at 10.05 on Saturday. Much better for those of us who rely on trains.

I hadn't noticed that some performances are starting at 7pm instead of 7:30pm. Incidentally, no interval between Acts I and II made for a very long first half.

[Frances_iom]

I hadn't noticed that some performances are starting at 7pm instead of 7:30pm. Incidentally, no interval between Acts I and II made for a very long first half.

don't rely on the 10.05 - yesterday's started at 7pm but finished probably 10:10-10:12 - I only just made the 10:30pm from Waterloo - didn't check actual time it finished as had assumed at 10:05 I'd have an easy walk but got a fairly quick get away so going on dead reckoning suggest it over ran about 7mins or so.

[Stanfordian]

I'm hoping to go to the cinema screening a week on Monday. Perhaps there'll eventually be a DVD.

We are off to the Manchester Odeon tonight for the screening. I was wondering if it is actually being broadcast live or is it a screening of recorded live performance?

[Mary Chambers]

It's live! Always rather exciting.

[Prommer]

Has the ROH invited the Queen again for a second viewing during this run, 60 years on?

[Flosshilde]

I wonder how she (or anyone, for that matter) would feel seeing someone pretending to be her on stage? (Or on film - perhaps they all sit around the TV on Boxing Day at Sandringham & pop the DVD of The Queen on for a laugh.)

[Dave2002]

...

Information source: Royal Opera House programme for 8 June 1953 (in Royal Opera House Collections)

IGI

Is it easy to find details of previous ROH productions? Is there an on-line source? I'd really like to be able to check on some productions from the 1970s.

[salymap]

Yes, I'd be interested in details of Walton's Troilus & Cressida, about 1954, and several other operas.Another one I enjoyed but the critics didn't.

[Belgrove]

Is it easy to find details of previous ROH productions? Is there an on-line source? I'd really like to be able to check on some productions from the 1970s.

Here's a link:

http://www.rohcollections.org.uk/Default.aspx