Delius

[antongould]

Having just listened to and very much enjoyed the rather British Sea Drift - we seemed to have Mr. Johnson, although I didn't catch it all, returning to the "..not really British.." hymn sheet this morning on Breakfast. Does anyone know if Delius sat and passed the Tebbit Test?

[RobertLeDiable]

Delius - A Village Romeo and Juliet from Wexford

Thursday, December 19, 1400: Thursday Opera Matinee

Delius: A Village Romeo and Juliet

Manz ..... Quentin Hayes (baritone),
Marti ..... Andrew Greenan (baritone),
Sali, Manz's son ..... John Bellemer (tenor),
Vreli, Marti's daughter ..... Jessica Muirhead (soprano),
The Dark Fiddler ..... David Stout (baritone),
First Peasant ..... Jamie Rock (baritone),
Second Peasant ..... Cozmin Sime (baritone),
First Peasant Woman ..... Eleanor Lyons (soprano),
Second Peasant Woman ..... Angharad Morgan (soprano),
Third Peasant Woman ..... Catia Moreso (soprano),
Gingerbread Girl ..... Iria Perestrelo (soprano),
Wheel of Fortune Woman ..... Maria Miro (soprano),
Cheap Jewellery Woman ..... Mae Heydorn (mezzo-soprano),
Merry-go-round Man ..... Owen Webb (baritone),
Slim Girl ..... Hannah Sawle (soprano),
Wild Girl ..... Kate Symonds Joy (mezzo-soprano),
Poor Horn Player ..... Daniel Joy (tenor),
Hunchbacked Bass Player ..... Simon Robinson (bass),
Showman ..... Leonel Pinheiro,
Shooting Gallery Man ..... Thomas Faulkner,
Second Bargee ..... Adam Gilbert,
Third Bargee ..... Patrick Hyland,

Wexford Opera Chorus,
Wexford Opera Orchestra,
Rory MacDonald (conductor).

[Tony Halstead]

Wonderful!
Delius's operatic masterpiece.
How I wish I could be there!

[Roehre]

Wonderful!
Delius's operatic masterpiece.
How I wish I could be there!

most certainly wonderful music indeed. But I'm afraid "operatic masterpiece" is pushing it too far IMO.

[RobertLeDiable]

most certainly wonderful music indeed. But I'm afraid "operatic masterpiece" is pushing it too far IMO.

Oh, I don't know. It has its faults, but it's a much better opera than it has been given credit for, I think.

[Pabmusic]

most certainly wonderful music indeed. But I'm afraid "operatic masterpiece" is pushing it too far IMO.

It rather depends on how Waldhorn meant it. He said "Delius's operatic masterpiece", which could mean either (1) the operatic masterpiece that happens to have been written by Delius; or (2) the best of the operas written by Delius. If it were (1), I am with you, but (2) is pretty unobjectionable, and I'd agree with it.

[Roehre]

It rather depends on how Waldhorn meant it. He said "Delius's operatic masterpiece", which could mean either (1) the operatic masterpiece that happens to have been written by Delius; or (2) the best of the operas written by Delius. If it were (1), I am with you, but (2) is pretty unobjectionable, and I'd agree with it.

Good point, pabmusic

[Tony Halstead]

It rather depends on how Waldhorn meant it. He said "Delius's operatic masterpiece", which could mean either (1) the operatic masterpiece that happens to have been written by Delius; or (2) the best of the operas written by Delius. If it were (1), I am with you, but (2) is pretty unobjectionable, and I'd agree with it.

Number 2 was certainly my intention and I apologise for my unintentional obscurity.

[Pabmusic]

Number 2 was certainly my intention and I apologise for my unintentional obscurity.

No apology necessary - even English can be ambiguous sometimes.

[amateur51]

What a civilised exchange - thanks all all round

[RobertLeDiable]

A very powerful performance, with a Tristan-like intensity. Pity Covent Garden missed out on the chance to do it.

[Flosshilde]

I missed the bit of the introduction when the reason for ROH missing out was explained - what was it?

[secondfiddle]

A very powerful performance, with a Tristan-like intensity. Pity Covent Garden missed out on the chance to do it.

The death of Sir Charles Mackerras who was to have conducted, was the excuse for taking it out of the ROH’s schedule, saving money in the process.

It was a fine broadcast from Wexford, but what a pity that more was not made of it in the 150th anniversary year of Delius’s birth. The BBC did not take The Mass of Life from the Edinburgh Festival (perhaps they felt that just programming a number of Delius works at the Proms was sufficient) and to tuck A Village Romeo and Juliet into an afternoon slot where it could easily be missed (especially by those at work) is rather feeble. One is, of course, grateful that it has been broadcast, but in past years there would have been a short programme introducing it to those who do not know it (how one misses the Music Magazine which fulfilled that purpose). Then also in past years Radio Times would with some simple but effective art work highlight broadcasts of special importance, such as live concerts so they caught the eye. But today little distinction is made between live concerts, repeat broadcasts and commercial recordings. What is the logic of following the opera with Harty’s Ode to a Nightingale? That time could surely have been given to someone (or two) discussing the Wexford production and the opera in general. How does one stage an opera that opens with two farmers ploughing, and how do you represent a hay barge sinking in the final scene? Sometimes it really seems as if Radio 3 credits its listeners with little intelligence.

A pity that, at the end of the first part of A Village Romeo and Juliet, that before the cast was read out we had to put up with the interruption of Sean Rafferty’s stuttering gibberish, and a pity that at the start of the second part of the opera the synopsis of a scene that had already been broadcast was read out.

However, despite these criticisms (which I do not expect anyone at R3 to pay attention), as I have already said, one is grateful that this production was broadcast, but those who were hearing it for the first time were not really given much idea of what the opera is all about.

[salymap]

I was looking forward to it, having never heard it but my tinnitus didn't like it at all. So I'm stuck with the 'Walk to the Paradise Garden' until I can hear it on a good day.

[RobertLeDiable]

The death of Sir Charles Mackerras who was to have conducted, was the excuse for taking it out of the ROH’s schedule, saving money in the process.

It was a fine broadcast from Wexford, but what a pity that more was not made of it in the 150th anniversary year of Delius’s birth. The BBC did not take The Mass of Life from the Edinburgh Festival (perhaps they felt that just programming a number of Delius works at the Proms was sufficient) and to tuck A Village Romeo and Juliet into an afternoon slot where it could easily be missed (especially by those at work) is rather feeble. One is, of course, grateful that it has been broadcast, but in past years there would have been a short programme introducing it to those who do not know it (how one misses the Music Magazine which fulfilled that purpose). Then also in past years Radio Times would with some simple but effective art work highlight broadcasts of special importance, such as live concerts so they caught the eye. But today little distinction is made between live concerts, repeat broadcasts and commercial recordings. What is the logic of following the opera with Harty’s Ode to a Nightingale? That time could surely have been given to someone (or two) discussing the Wexford production and the opera in general. How does one stage an opera that opens with two farmers ploughing, and how do you represent a hay barge sinking in the final scene? Sometimes it really seems as if Radio 3 credits its listeners with little intelligence.

A pity that, at the end of the first part of A Village Romeo and Juliet, that before the cast was read out we had to put up with the interruption of Sean Rafferty’s stuttering gibberish, and a pity that at the start of the second part of the opera the synopsis of a scene that had already been broadcast was read out.

However, despite these criticisms (which I do not expect anyone at R3 to pay attention), as I have already said, one is grateful that this production was broadcast, but those who were hearing it for the first time were not really given much idea of what the opera is all about.

It will presumably be possible to use the 'listen again' facility for another week for those who missed it. It was striking in this performance how Wagnerian it sounded - very far from the received wisdom (in some quarters) that Delius's music lacks drive and shape.