I hope members of the list will be interested to know of two projects planned by the new group Retrospect Opera www.retrospectopera.org.uk (http://www.retrospectopera.org.uk).
In January, we're recording Ethel Smyth's witty comedy The Boatswain's Mate - never before recorded in its entirety, and now conducted by Odaline de la Martinez, who needs little or no introduction as a champion of Smyth's work. Smyth herself re-scored the opera for chamber ensemble, and it's this version that's being done - and it was the version done at the Luzerner Theater production back in February 2014, to packed audiences. It's highly accessible - she used nursery rhymes, folk melodies, her own 'March of the Women' and a quote from Beethoven's 5th. Lovely music and enormous fun. If anyone's got a set of the 78s that she recorded in 1917, please let me know!
In April, we're recording Loder's Raymond and Agnes. It's loosely based on part of Lewis's Gothic novel The Monk - stunning music, and an incredibly dramatic Act 2 finale, with a wonderful quintet. Its early performances were marred by poor performances - that's clear from the reviews - but it was done at Cambridge in 1966, though the libretto was thought lost at the time - now it's been re-discovered, so this recording will present all the music in its full glory (and it really is glorious). The Oriel Trust has issued the broadcasts of it, which really whet the appetite. It's being recorded by the Bath Philharmonia (appropriate since Loder came of a family of musicians from Bath) conducted by Jason Thornton.
These projects cost a huge amount of money though - it's an all-professional band in both cases. Please consider making a donation - more details on the website - and be part of making the recordings happen.
contact@retrospectopera.org.uk
Good luck with this - as you know, I'm looking forward to it seeing them
Two projects I am delighted to see! I've been waiting years to hear The Boatswain's Mate in particular, and the Loder should be well worth hearing, if the tiny amount I know of him (The Brooklet and the Overture to The Night Dancers, same as everyone else, I guess) is anything to go by.
I shall certainly consider seriously a donation to what seems like a wonderful venture!
I look forward to these recordings particularly the Loder as it is quite unknown to me. I wonder if there is a possibility of a concert tour using the same cast?
I think a vocal score of the Loder is @IMSLP but I have not heard the work.
There's quite an amount of Loder's music available on IMSLP, but not the vocal score to Raymond and Agnes. However, as part of preparing the performing materials, a new VS has been prepared, and this will eventually be available for sale - a good thing, since the original VS has a number of errors.
There are no plans for a concert tour, not at the moment - I'm sure you can appreciate that to tour a full orchestra would be expensive. There's no single concert performance planned either, but that's less out of the question. There were plans to record it as a live performance, but these fell through for all sorts of logistical reasons; pity, but that's how it goes.
Do please visit www.retrospectopera.org.uk. This recording can't happen without help - we just need a lot of people to help a little. :)
Smyth's opera The Boatswain's Mate was recorded in September and is now being edited. It was conducted by Odaline de la Martinez, with members of the Lontano ensemble, with Nadine Benjamin as Mrs Waters, Edward Lee as Harry Benn, and Jeremy Huw Williams as Ned Travers. Simon Wilding sang the Policeman, and Rebecca Louise Dale sang Mary Ann. It all went very well and you can see some pictures from the recording on the website for Retrospect Opera, www.retrospectopera.org.uk.
The other opera currently planned by Retrospect Opera is Loder's Raymond and Agnes. Extracts from this were performed at the Bath Assembly Rooms last week - it was great to hear it live.
Subscribers are still sought for both operas - the more people subscribe, the sooner things happen! - and if anyone has any knowledge of any suitable grant-awarding bodies (especially for the Loder opera), do please let me know!