The opera continued to be composed in a piecemeal fashion, as Sabina's libretto gradually took shape. Progress was slow, and was interrupted by other work. Smetana had become Chorus Master of the Hlahol Choral Society in 1862, and spent much time rehearsing and performing with the Society. [11] He was deeply involved in the 1864 Shakespeare Festival in Prague, conducting Berlioz's Romeo et Juliette and composing a festival march. [12] That same year he became music correspondent of the Czech-language newspaper Národní listy. Smetana's diary for December 1864 records that he was continuing to work on The Bartered Bride; the piano score was completed by October 1865. It was then put aside so that the composer could concentrate on his third opera Dalibor. [13] Smetana evidently did not begin the orchestral scoring of The Bartered Bride until, following the successful performance of The Brandenburgers in January 1866, the management of the Provisional Theatre decided to stage the new opera during the following summer. The scoring was completed rapidly, between 20 February and 16 March. [13] Roles [ edit ] Roles, voice types, premiere cast Role Many other nations can also boast of "favorite sons" whose music has achieved widespread fame — but few have been as musically blessed as the Czech Republic. Leos Janacek wrote a body of internationally acclaimed operas whose music seems inseparable from the rhythms and inflections of the Czech language itself. Antonin Dvorak wrote some of the world's most popular symphonies, yet even the one called the "New World" is unmistakably bound to Czech musical traditions. The action and dialogue flow freely, mingling with beautiful descriptions of European countryside and just a hint of romance…. A well-developed heroine and engaging story.”— Publishers Weekly a ruling magical body based in London with Lord Alderscroft, a.k.a., the The Wizard of London (5) or the Lion, a Fire Master, as its leader. He is also a Member of the House of Lords, the unofficial Minister of Magic to the Crown, and a confidant of the Prime Minister. The Exeter Club, a men-only club, is the Lodge's home. They've only recently allowed women past the public dining rooms. Williams is the doorman. Lily is a maid in Alderscroft's London townhouse. His scullery maid and cook want to learn self-defense from Nan. Charles is the butler. Kecal summons the villagers to witness the contract he has made ("Come inside and listen to me"). He reads the terms: Mařenka is to marry no one but Mícha's son. Krušina and the crowd marvel at Jeník's apparent self-denial, but the mood changes when they learn that he has been paid off. The act ends with Jenik being denounced by Krušina and the rest of the assembly as a rascal.

The Baker Street Irregulars are aching to help, and young Tommy Wiggins has them coordinating the hunt. Paul Curran’s 2019 The Bartered Bride, set in late 1950s Britain, makes a welcome return to the Wormsley Estate in Rosie Purdie’s likeable revival. With a new cast, this folksy happy-ever-after rom-com continues to enchant and amuse. Aside from the opera’s attractive music, the universal appeal of the work (premiered in 1866 and first heard in Britain in 1895) depends on local character and small incident rather than on any broadly dramatic element which, with the best will in the world, is fairly minimal – boy loves girl whose parents have arranged for her to marry another, yet all comes right in the end. This production is enlivened more by the colourful and diverting characterisations from within the chorus of villagers (almost a template for Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring) than the principal singers who, good as they are, bring uneven performances with few moments that either startle the ear or moisten the eye. Mařenka – Pumeza Matshikiza, Jeník – Oliver Johnston, Kecal – David Ireland, Vašek – John Findon, Ludmila – Yvonne Howard, Krušina – William Dazeley, Ringmaster – Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts, Esmeralda – Isabelle Peters, Mícha – John Savournin, Háta – Louise Winter; Original Director – Paul Curran, Revival Director – Rosie Purdie, Conductor – Jac van Steen, Designer – Kevin Knight, Lighting Designer – Howard Hudson, Choreographer – Darren Royston, Philharmonia Orchestra, Garsington Opera Chorus & Circus Troupe (led by Jennifer Robinson) The final opening night of this summer’s Garsington opera season certainly whets the appetite for more Smetana. But given that Paul Curran’s 2019 production (revived here by Rosie Purdie) transposes the action from 19th-century to 1960s Britain, with Elvis fans doing the twist in place of the polka, it’s odd to find an entirely non-Czech cast parroting the original Czech rather than presenting the comedy in an English translation. With misplaced snobbery, “an exotic and irrational entertainment” is evidently still how the Brits like opera best.There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."

Vašek expresses his confusions in a short, sad song ("I can't get it out of my head"), but is interrupted by the arrival of a travelling circus. The Ringmaster introduces the star attractions: Esmeralda, the Spanish dancer, a "real Indian" sword swallower, and a dancing bear. A rapid folk-dance, the skočná, follows. Vašek is entranced by Esmeralda, but his timid advances are interrupted when the "Indian" rushes in, announcing that the "bear" has collapsed in a drunken stupor. A replacement is required. Vašek is soon persuaded to take the job, egged on by Esmeralda's flattering words ("We'll make a pretty thing out of you"). Canadian-born Mel Cooper first came to the UK to study English Literature at Oxford University and stayed. He was captivated by the culture and history of Britain, which he found to be a welcoming and tolerant country. After working in highly illustrated, non-fiction publishing for over a decade, he founded and edited the magazine Opera Now. Since then he has worked as a consultant to the Japanese broadcaster NHK, a broadcaster on British Satellite Broadcasting, a maker of audio shows and arts critic for several airlines, and as one of the team that started Britain’s first commercial classical music radio station, Classic FM, on which he was both a classical music DJ and creator and presenter of shows like Classic America and Authentic All this sends Marenka on a roller-coaster emotional journey, and Pumeza Matshikiza plays her with an endearing attitude while singing with gorgeously rich tone, even if her voice is not entirely under control. Oliver Johnston brings an idiomatically plangent tenor to the cunning Jenik. The stammering Vasek can be problematic today, with the humour drawn from his speech impediment, but here he is sympathetically portrayed as simply the product of too much mollycoddling by the excellent tenor John Findon. Mercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.

Fourteenth in the Elemental Masters historical paranormal fantasy series and revolving around Elementals of Air, Earth, Water, Fire, and Spirit. The focus here is on Nan and Sarah working with Dr Watson and his wife, Mary, and set in June in Victorian London. Number 13 of the Elemental Masters series and this one is loosely - very loosely - based on what I believe was Bluebeard's Wives. This was the composer’s second opera with its premiere taking place in Prague, on 30 May 1866. For Smetana, its composition was a deliberate attempt to create a distinct Czech musical language through his use of folk-dance elements, but his gorgeous melodies and striking choral writing also come through strongly; he is using nationalism as a conduit for a celebration of culture rather than as an exclusive display of superiority. The contrast with other nationalist cultures is striking with the emphasis being on the primacy of love with a distinct message of anti-materiality. The opera has become central to the nation’s sense of identity although it didn’t become a fixture in the international opera repertoire until after the composer’s death.