Related Directory Categories
- Britten, Edward Benjamin (17)
- Britten, Rhonda (2)
Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
The Prodigal Son (Britten)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Operas by Benjamin Britten |
|---|
Paul Bunyan (1941) |
The Prodigal Son is an opera by Benjamin Britten with a libretto by William Plomer. Based on the Biblical story of the Prodigal Son, this was Britten's third "parable for church performance", after Curlew River and The Burning Fiery Furnace. Britten dedicated the score to Dmitri Shostakovich.
The first performance took place on 10 June 1968 in Orford Church, Suffolk.[1] The original cast was as follows:
- Peter Pears (Tempter/Abbot)
- John Shirley-Quirk (the Father)
- Robert Tear (the Younger Son)
- Bryan Drake (the Elder Son)[2] [3]
The instrumentalists included the percussionist James Blades.[4] Colin Graham was the stage director.[5]
As with the other church parables, the instrumental forces are very modest: flute, horn, viola, double bass, harp, organ and percussion, with the use of the alto flute and small trumpet in D marking changes compared to the other works.
Contents |
Britten himself and Viola Tunnard directed the first recording of the work, for the Decca label (original listing, Decca SET 438), with the original cast and performers.[6] The full cast of singers is as follows:
- Tempter/Abbot: Peter Pears
- The Father: John Shirley-Quirk
- The Younger Son: Robert Tear
- The Elder Son: Bryan Drake
- Chorus of Servants, Parasites and Beggars: Paschal Allen, Carl Duggan, David Hartley, Philip Hooper, Peter Leeming, John McKenzie, Clive Molloy, Paul Wade
- Young Servants and Distant Voices: Gerald Beauchamp, Michael Butler, Jonathan Fox, Richard Hopkins, David Rookwood
- ^ David Matthews, "Britten's The Prodigal Son" Tempo, pp. 28-30 (1968).
- ^ Elizabeth Forbes, Obituary for Bryan Drake. The Independent, 2 January 2002
- ^ Keith Grant, Obituary for Bryan Drake. The Guardian, 9 April 2002.
- ^ David Corkhill, Obituary for James Blades. The Guardian, 29 May 1999.
- ^ Alan Blyth, Obituary for Colin Graham. The Guardian, 10 April 2007.
- ^ Patricia Howard, Review of recording of Britten: The Prodigal Son. Musical Times, pp. 899, 901 (1970).
Britten-Pears Foundation, page on The Prodigal Son
- Viking Opera Guide ed. Holden (Viking, 1993)
 |
This article about an opera or opera-related subject is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |