Music For The Theatre [Afternoon Concert]

Episode

First
Broadcast

Comments

20111226

A rare chance to hear Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

20111227

The theatre music season continues with a recent recording of Kurt Weill's 'Broadway Opera' Street Scene which tells a gritty story of life, love, birth and death in a squalid 1940s Manhattan tenement. Presented by Jonathan Swain.

Nathan Vale - Buchanan

Paul Curievici - Sam Kaplan

Geof Dolton - Frank Maurrant

Paul Featherstone - Mr Kaplan / Sankey / Officer Murphy

Elena Ferrari - Mrs Maurrant

Susanna Hurrell - Rose Maurrant

James McOran-Campbell - Mr Jones / Mr Easter / Vince Jones / City Marshall / Policeman

John Moabi - Henry / Dick / Policeman

Kate Nelson - Shirley Kaplan / Mae Jones

Charlotte Page - Mrs Jones / Nursemaid 1

Paul Reeves - Mr Olsen / Milkman / Ambulance Man / New Tenant

Simone Sauphanor - Mrs Fiorentino

Joseph Shovelton - Lippo Fiorentino / Dr Wilson / Assistant Marshall / Fred Cullen

Harriet Williams - Mrs Olsen / Nursemaid II

Joanna Foote - Mrs Hildebrand

Oscar O'Rehilly - Willie Maurrant A

Jordi Fray - Charlie Hildebrand A

Eboni Dixon. - Jennie Hildebrand

Young Vic Chorus

BBC Concert Orchestra

Keith Lockhart (conductor)

c. 4.30pm

Bernstein: Symphonic dances from 'West Side story

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Stefan Solyom (conductor.

Jonathan Swain presents a performance of Kurt Weill's Broadway musical Street Scene.

20111228

Jonathan Swain presents Beethoven's Egmont and in Sibelius's King Kristian II.

20111230

Jonathan Swain with ballet music, by Dukas, Debussy, Ravel, Poulenc and Prokofiev.

20120102

Penny Gore continues Afternoon on 3's occasional series of music of every kind composed for the theatre, with performances by the BBC's orchestras, and British music every day this week.

Elgar wrote his score for 'The Starlight Express' in time for the Christmas Theatre season of 1915. It's a childs-eye view of the real world thrown into the chaos of the First World War, full of fantasy: fairies, organgrinders and lamplighters show the way forward to the children, who in turn help the 'lost' grown ups.

Maeterlink's drama 'Pelleas and Melisande' is a far more adult affair which attracted several composers of the time - best known perhaps is Debussy's opera, premiered in 1902. Sibelius wrote his incidental music a couple of years later. You can hear more music inspired by Maeterlinck later this week - Faure's incidental music for 'Pelleas and Melisande' on Wednesday, Paul Dukas' only opera 'Ariane and Bluebeard' tomorrow, and on Thursday Bartok's related opera 'Duke Bluebeard's Castle'.

Plus dance music by Georges Jacobi, one of the composers who starred in last Saturday's Music Feature on Radio 3 on Music Hall ballets. He was the Music Director of the Alhambra in London's Leicester Square from the 1870s onwards, and composed more than 100 ballets.

2pm

Incidental music to 'The Starlight Express', Op. 78

Elizabeth Atherton (soprano), Mark Stone (baritone),

Simon Callow, Nigel Richards, Liza Sadovy, Kenneth Richardson (actors)

BBC Concert Orchestra

Barry Wordsworth (conductor)

3.40pm

Incidental music to 'Pelleas et Melisande', Op. 46

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Tuomas Ollila (conductor)

4.05pm

Suite from the ballet 'Oriella

Benjamin Pope (conductor).

Penny Gore presents music by Elgar, Sibelius and Georges Jacobi.

20120103

Penny Gore presents the only opera written by French composer Paul Dukas - indeed this comprises more than half of the surviving music by the composer of the 'Sorcerer's Apprentice', as Dukas was destroyed much of his own work he wasn't 100% happy with.

He based his opera on the Maurice Maeterlinck's play about Duke Bluebeard's wife Ariane - written a few years after his 'Pelleas and Melisande' for which both Sibelius and Faure composed incidental music (you can hear Faure's tomorrow, while Sibelius's was broadcast in Afternoon on 3 yesterday).

Ariane arrives at Duke Bluebeard's castle as his his new wife, and the duke gives her the keys to six doors which in this version of the tale open to reveal jewels and untold riches. The Duke tells Ariane never to open the seventh door, with its golden key. Of course she can't resist this and when she discovers the hidden door, it opens to release Bluebeard's previous wives. This all happens in Act One, and in the remainder of the opera with Ariane encourages the previous wives to revolt against their cruel husband. Eventually they do capture and subdue the Duke, but only Ariane has the nerve to walk away: the other wives cannot leave Bluebeard, preferring to live with him despite his cruelty.

The Duke's role in this version of the opera (as opposed to Bartok's better known version which we'll hear on Thursday) is quite small. The focus is really Ariane - her motivation, her interaction with the Duke's previous wives and her determination to throw off the misogynist yoke of her husband.

Plus - continuing this week's series of British theatre music performed by the BBC's orchestras - the BBC National Orchestra of Wales play the dance music from another opera: Michael Tippett's 'The Midsummer Marriage'.

Dukas:

Ariane et Barbe-Bleue

Ariane - Katarina Karneus (mezzo-soprano),

Nurse - Delphine Haidan (mezzo-soprano),

Barbe-Bleue - Nicolas Cavallier (bass),

Selysette - Andrea Hill (mezzo-soprano),

Bellangere - Claudine Margely (soprano),

Melisande - Emmanuelle de Negri (soprano),

Ygraine - Karen Harnay (soprano),

An old peasant - Mark Pancek (baritone),

Second peasant - Mathieu Cabanes (tenor),

Third peasant - Philippe Eyquem (bass),

Radio France Chorus, Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra,

Jean Deroyer (conductor).

4pm

Ritual Dances from 'The Midsummer Marriage

Richard Hickox (conductor).

Penny Gore presents Paul Dukas's opera Ariane et Barbe-Bleue and music by Tippett.

20120104

Penny Gore presents the BBC's orchestras in more music for the theatre, including our daily helping of British music. There's another theatre score inspired by the plays of Maurice Maeterlinck: Faure's 'Pelleas et Melisande'. Plus music by JS Bach dressed up by William Walton for the ballet 'The Wise Virgins'; and more ballet music by Stravinsky on the legend of the Phoenix -'The Firebird'.

Walton:

The Wise Virgins - complete ballet music (after JS Bach)

BBC Concert Orchestra

Barry Wordsworth (conductor)

Faure:

Pelleas & Melisande (Suite from the Incidental music)

Ulster Orchestra

Pascal Rophe (conductor)

Stravinsky:

The Firebird (1919 version)

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Juanjo Mena (conductor).

Penny Gore presents music by Walton, Faure and Stravinsky.

20120106

Penny Gore rounds off the week by presenting the BBC's orchestras in some famous Nordic theatre music - plus more from Britain.

WB Yeats co-wrote the play 'Grania and Diarmid' - and asked Elgar for some incidental music, which he duly delivered: it begins the programme today.

Danish composer Carl Nielsen had spent the summer of 1918 writing music for 'Aladdin' to be performed at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen the following February. Imagine his annoyance when he arrived at the theatre to find that half the orchestra pit had disappeared to accomodate an extended stage, and that the orchestra would have to sit on the stage and perform from under the 'staircase' set. If that wasn't bad enough the theatre producer then proceeded to cut and re-order large chunks of the music. Nielsen had enough and removed his name from the production's posters and programmes.

Perhaps Nielsen should have let Sibelius know about his problems, as the same theatre and same producer approached Sibelius for music for a production of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' in 1925. However, perhaps it was the producer who had learnt his lesson as this was a far more successful production. One review said: 'Shakespeare and Sibelius - at last these two geniuses have found one another'. Sibelius composed his 'Tempest' score after his Seventh Symphony, and along with Tapiola it was the last music Sibelius published.

Elgar:

Grania & Diarmid

BBC Symphony Orchestra

Nicholas Collon (conductor)

2.15pm

Nielsen:

Aladdin - Suite from the incidental music

BBC Concert Orchestra

Arvid Engegaard (conductor)

2.40pm

Sibelius:

The Tempest - Incidental music (complete)

Actors: Geoff Breton, Richard Goulding, Sasha Higgins, Benedict Hopper, Philip Langhorne.

Di Trevis (director)

John Storgards (conductor)

4.10pm

Grieg:

Peer Gynt - Suite No.1

Arvid Engegard (conductor).

Penny Gore presents music associated with the theatre, by Elgar, Nielsen and Grieg.

20120213

Each day this week Penny Gore presents music used for a variety of theatrical purposes, including pieces with a religious theme. Debussy composed the incidental music for a modern mystery play about St Sebastian in 1911 even though he was more mystical than religious. Goldilocks - by extreme contrast - was Leroy Anderson's first attempt at a Broadway musical.

Debussy: Le martyre de St Sebastien

BBC National Orchestra of Wales,

Thierry Fischer (conductor).

Copland: Quiet City

Alison Teale (cor anglais),

Bo Fuglsang (trumpet),

BBC Symphony Orchestra,

Nicholas Collon (conductor).

Zeisl: Requiem Ebraico

Emma Tring (soprano),

Margaret Cameron (alto),

Jamie Hall (cantor),

BBC Singers,

BBC Concert Orchestra,

Johannes Wildner (conductor).

Leroy Anderson: Goldilocks (excerpts)

Kim Criswell (soprano),

William Dazeley (baritone),

Leonard Slatkin (conductor).

Penny Gore presents music by Debussy, Copland, Zeisl and Leroy Anderson.

20120214

Continuing this week's theme of religious theatre music, Penny Gore presents Massenet's opera Herodiade, based on a novella by Flaubert and telling the story of Salome and John the Baptist. A recording of the recent staging at the Flanders Opera House in Ghent.

Massenet: Herodiade

Salome - Carmen Giannattasio (soprano),

Herodias - Julia Gertseva (mezzo-soprano),

John the Baptist - Zoran Todorovich (tenor),

Herod - Philippe Rouillon (baritone),

Phanuel - Petri Lindroos (bass),

Vitellius - Igor Bakan (baritone),

A High Priest - Thierry Vallier (baritone),

A Young Babylonian - Julianne Gearhart (soprano),

Flanders Opera Chorus and Symphony Orchestra,

Dmitri Jurowski (conductor).

Penny Gore presents Massenet's opera Herodiade, performed at the Flanders Opera in Ghent.

20120215

Penny Gore continues this week's series of music for the theatre, including pieces with a religious theme. The BBC Concert Orchestra take centre stage with their specially-recorded performance of Malipiero's musical mystery play, which tells of St Francis and the devotion of his followers. Richard Arnell's ballet The Great Detective is based on the character of the great Sherlock Holmes.

Britten: 4 Sea Interludes, from Peter Grimes

BBC Symphony Orchestra,

Jiri Belohlavek (conductor).

Malipiero: San Francesco d'Assisi

Michael Bundy (St Francis, baritone),

Edward Price (bass),

Stephen Jeffes (tenor),

Stephen Charlesworth (baritone),

BBC Singers,

BBC Concert Orchestra,

Johannes Wildner (conductor).

Arnell: The Great Detective

Martin Yates (conductor).

With Penny Gore. Malipiero: San Francesco d'Assisi. Britten: Four Sea Interludes.

20120217

Penny Gore concludes this week's series of theatre music, including pieces with a religious theme: today, Vaughan Williams's 'masque for dancing', Job, and a special new BBC Philharmonic recording of Schubert's music for the play Rosamunde, complete with the original overture played at the first performance. Plus a rare chance to hear Benjamin Britten's incidental music to Auden and Isherwood's play, The Ascent of F6.

Schubert: Rosamunde

Mary Bevan (soprano),

Martha Jones (mezzo-soprano),

Anthony Gregory (tenor),

Henry Waddington (bass),

Manchester Chamber Choir,

BBC Philharmonic,

Paul Daniel (conductor).

Britten: The Ascent of F6

Eleanor Meynell (soprano),

Jacqueline Fox (mezzo-soprano),

Peter Wilman (tenor),

Simon Birchall (bass),

Actors - Alison Smart, Julia Batchelor, Andrew Murgatroyd, Stephen Charlesworth,

BBC Singers,

Stephen Layton (conductor).

Foulds: Henry VIII Suite, Op 87

BBC Concert Orchestra,

Ronald Corp (conductor).

Vaughan Williams: Job: a Masque for Dancing

BBC Symphony Orchestra,

Sir Andrew Davis (conductor).

Penny Gore presents music by Schubert, Britten, Foulds and Vaughan Williams.

20120312

The theatre season continues, including music inspired by the ancient world. Presented by Louise Fryer

Vaughan Williams: Overture to 'The Wasps

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra,

Stefan Solyom (conductor).

Ildebrando Pizzetti: La Nave (incidental music)

Alison Wells (soprano)

BBC Singers

New London Children's Choir,

BBC Concert Orchestra,

Simon Joly (conductor).

Honegger: Phaedre (incidental music)

BBC National Orchestra of Wales,

Pascal Rophe (conductor).

Stravinsky: Oedipus rex.

Philip Madoc (speaker),

Susan Bickley (mezzo-soprano),

James Gilchrist (tenor),

Timothy Robinson (tenor),

Neal Davies (baritone),

Darren Jeffery (bass),

Stephen Richardson (bass),

Estonian National Men's Choir,

Jac Van Steen (conductor).

Havergal Brian: A Turandot Suite

Garry Walker (conductor).

Louise Fryer with music by Vaughan Williams, Pizzetti, Honegger, Stravinsky and Brian.

20120313

Louise Fryer presents Gluck's gripping take on post-Trojan War practical and psychological family problems. A pair of siblings unexpectedly wind up together and have to contend with all the usual predicaments ancient Greek drama can throw at them, including murder, mistaken identity and pursuit by the furies. Plus more music for the theatre from Copland and Weber.

Gluck: Iphigenie en Tauride, opera in four acts

Iphigenie, Priestess of Diana - Susan Graham (soprano)

Oreste, her brother - Russell Braun (baritone)

Pylade, his friend - Joseph Kaiser (tenor)

Thoas, King of Scythia - Mark S. Doss (bass)

Diane - Lauren Segal (soprano)

First Priestess - Jacqueline Woodley (soprano)

Second Priestess - Mireille Asselin (soprano)

A Scythian Man - Philippe Sly (bass-baritone)

Old Servant - Robert Pomakov (bass)

A Greek Woman - Ambur Braid (soprano).

Canadian Opera Company Chorus and Orchestra

Pablo Heras-Casado (conductor).

Copland: Billy the Kid (Suite)

BBC Symphony Orchestra,

Garry Walker (conductor).

Weber: Turandot (incidental music)

Ulster Orchestra,

Michael Seal (conductor).

Louise Fryer presents Gluck's opera based on Greek myth, Iphigenie en Tauride.

20120314

Louise Fryer presents more music inspired by the ancient world.

Schmitt: Anthony and Cleopatra (Suite no. 1)

BBC National Orchestra of Wales,

Pascal Rophe (conductor).

Mozart: Thamos, King of Egypt (music for the play, K 345: revised version)

Gillian Keith (soprano)

Anna Stephany (mezzo soprano)

James Gilchrist (tenor)

Simon Kirkbride (bass-baritone)

Manchester Chamber Choir,

BBC Philharmonic,

Matthew Halls (conductor).

Einem: 4 Episodes from Turandot (Op. 1a)

H. K. Gruber (conductor).

Louise Fryer presents music inspired by the ancient world, by Schmitt, Mozart and Einem.

20120316

Louise Fryer presents more music inspired by the ancient world.

Stravinsky: Apollo

BBC Philharmonic,

Andre De Ridder (conductor).

Havergal Brian: Three Pieces from 'Turandot

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra,

Garry Walker (conductor).

Beethoven: The Creatures of Prometheus (Op. 43)

Ulster Orchestra,

Thierry Fischer (conductor).

Busoni: Turandot (suite, Op. 41)

Andrew Gourlay (conductor).

Louise Fryer presents music by Stravinsky, Havergal Brian, Beethoven and Busoni.

20120416

Theatre Music: Shakespeare

Penny Gore this week explores theatre music written for Shakespeare's plays. Today, a team of actors join the BBC Symphony Orchestra for specially recorded scenes from Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich. And these are preceded by the first Russian musical work written for a play by this 'inspired barbarian.' There's also a rare chance to hear Gerald Finzi's captivating music for a radio performance of Love's Labours Lost .

Penny Gore presents music by Balakirev, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Verdi and Finzi.

20120417

Theatre Music: Shakespeare

Penny Gore and Louise Fryer this week explore theatre music written for Shakespeare's plays. Today, the BBC Symphony Orchestra is joined by a team of actors live at their Maida Vale Studios in incidental music by three contrasting composers united by the lure of Shakespeare. That's followed by the impressive apprentice piece by the young Arthur Sullivan and by one of the most famous of all Shakespearean treatments: Serge Prokofiev's ballet music for Romeo and Juliet.

Penny Gore presents music by Humperdinck, Chausson, Zemlinsky, Sullivan and Prokofiev.

20120418

Theatre Music: Shakespeare

Penny Gore explores theatre music written for Shakespeare's plays. Today, a cast of actors and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is joined by drama students from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in an abridged semi-staged performance of Shakespeare's irresistible comedy, Much Ado About Nothing. The music was written soon after the First World War by the precocious Eric Korngold.

BBC SSo and actors in a performance of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing.

20120420

Theatre Music: Shakespeare

Penny Gore explores theatre music written for Shakespeare's plays. Today, the spotlight falls mainly on Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers in music ranging from Berlioz to Bernstein. There's also a rare chance to hear Gabriel Faure's exquisite treatment of the Merchant of Venice in a specially recorded performance from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Penny Gore presents music by Tchaikovsky, Delius, Berlioz, German, Faure and Bernstein.

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Comments
01	20111226	A rare chance to hear Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
02	20111227	The theatre music season continues with a recent recording of Kurt Weill's 'Broadway Opera' Street Scene which tells a gritty story of life, love, birth and death in a squalid 1940s Manhattan tenement. Presented by Jonathan Swain. Nathan Vale - Buchanan Paul Curievici - Sam Kaplan Geof Dolton - Frank Maurrant Paul Featherstone - Mr Kaplan / Sankey / Officer Murphy Elena Ferrari - Mrs Maurrant Susanna Hurrell - Rose Maurrant James McOran-Campbell - Mr Jones / Mr Easter / Vince Jones / City Marshall / Policeman John Moabi - Henry / Dick / Policeman Kate Nelson - Shirley Kaplan / Mae Jones Charlotte Page - Mrs Jones / Nursemaid 1 Paul Reeves - Mr Olsen / Milkman / Ambulance Man / New Tenant Simone Sauphanor - Mrs Fiorentino Joseph Shovelton - Lippo Fiorentino / Dr Wilson / Assistant Marshall / Fred Cullen Harriet Williams - Mrs Olsen / Nursemaid II Joanna Foote - Mrs Hildebrand Oscar O'Rehilly - Willie Maurrant A Jordi Fray - Charlie Hildebrand A Eboni Dixon. - Jennie Hildebrand Young Vic Chorus BBC Concert Orchestra Keith Lockhart (conductor) c. 4.30pm Bernstein: Symphonic dances from 'West Side story BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Stefan Solyom (conductor. Jonathan Swain presents a performance of Kurt Weill's Broadway musical Street Scene.
03	20111228	Jonathan Swain presents Beethoven's Egmont and in Sibelius's King Kristian II.
04	20111230	Jonathan Swain with ballet music, by Dukas, Debussy, Ravel, Poulenc and Prokofiev.
05	20120102	Penny Gore continues Afternoon on 3's occasional series of music of every kind composed for the theatre, with performances by the BBC's orchestras, and British music every day this week. Elgar wrote his score for 'The Starlight Express' in time for the Christmas Theatre season of 1915. It's a childs-eye view of the real world thrown into the chaos of the First World War, full of fantasy: fairies, organgrinders and lamplighters show the way forward to the children, who in turn help the 'lost' grown ups. Maeterlink's drama 'Pelleas and Melisande' is a far more adult affair which attracted several composers of the time - best known perhaps is Debussy's opera, premiered in 1902. Sibelius wrote his incidental music a couple of years later. You can hear more music inspired by Maeterlinck later this week - Faure's incidental music for 'Pelleas and Melisande' on Wednesday, Paul Dukas' only opera 'Ariane and Bluebeard' tomorrow, and on Thursday Bartok's related opera 'Duke Bluebeard's Castle'. Plus dance music by Georges Jacobi, one of the composers who starred in last Saturday's Music Feature on Radio 3 on Music Hall ballets. He was the Music Director of the Alhambra in London's Leicester Square from the 1870s onwards, and composed more than 100 ballets. 2pm Incidental music to 'The Starlight Express', Op. 78 Elizabeth Atherton (soprano), Mark Stone (baritone), Simon Callow, Nigel Richards, Liza Sadovy, Kenneth Richardson (actors) BBC Concert Orchestra Barry Wordsworth (conductor) 3.40pm Incidental music to 'Pelleas et Melisande', Op. 46 BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Tuomas Ollila (conductor) 4.05pm Suite from the ballet 'Oriella Benjamin Pope (conductor). Penny Gore presents music by Elgar, Sibelius and Georges Jacobi.
06	20120103	Penny Gore presents the only opera written by French composer Paul Dukas - indeed this comprises more than half of the surviving music by the composer of the 'Sorcerer's Apprentice', as Dukas was destroyed much of his own work he wasn't 100% happy with. He based his opera on the Maurice Maeterlinck's play about Duke Bluebeard's wife Ariane - written a few years after his 'Pelleas and Melisande' for which both Sibelius and Faure composed incidental music (you can hear Faure's tomorrow, while Sibelius's was broadcast in Afternoon on 3 yesterday). Ariane arrives at Duke Bluebeard's castle as his his new wife, and the duke gives her the keys to six doors which in this version of the tale open to reveal jewels and untold riches. The Duke tells Ariane never to open the seventh door, with its golden key. Of course she can't resist this and when she discovers the hidden door, it opens to release Bluebeard's previous wives. This all happens in Act One, and in the remainder of the opera with Ariane encourages the previous wives to revolt against their cruel husband. Eventually they do capture and subdue the Duke, but only Ariane has the nerve to walk away: the other wives cannot leave Bluebeard, preferring to live with him despite his cruelty. The Duke's role in this version of the opera (as opposed to Bartok's better known version which we'll hear on Thursday) is quite small. The focus is really Ariane - her motivation, her interaction with the Duke's previous wives and her determination to throw off the misogynist yoke of her husband. Plus - continuing this week's series of British theatre music performed by the BBC's orchestras - the BBC National Orchestra of Wales play the dance music from another opera: Michael Tippett's 'The Midsummer Marriage'. Dukas: Ariane et Barbe-Bleue Ariane - Katarina Karneus (mezzo-soprano), Nurse - Delphine Haidan (mezzo-soprano), Barbe-Bleue - Nicolas Cavallier (bass), Selysette - Andrea Hill (mezzo-soprano), Bellangere - Claudine Margely (soprano), Melisande - Emmanuelle de Negri (soprano), Ygraine - Karen Harnay (soprano), An old peasant - Mark Pancek (baritone), Second peasant - Mathieu Cabanes (tenor), Third peasant - Philippe Eyquem (bass), Radio France Chorus, Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, Jean Deroyer (conductor). 4pm Ritual Dances from 'The Midsummer Marriage Richard Hickox (conductor). Penny Gore presents Paul Dukas's opera Ariane et Barbe-Bleue and music by Tippett.
07	20120104	Penny Gore presents the BBC's orchestras in more music for the theatre, including our daily helping of British music. There's another theatre score inspired by the plays of Maurice Maeterlinck: Faure's 'Pelleas et Melisande'. Plus music by JS Bach dressed up by William Walton for the ballet 'The Wise Virgins'; and more ballet music by Stravinsky on the legend of the Phoenix -'The Firebird'. Walton: The Wise Virgins - complete ballet music (after JS Bach) BBC Concert Orchestra Barry Wordsworth (conductor) Faure: Pelleas & Melisande (Suite from the Incidental music) Ulster Orchestra Pascal Rophe (conductor) Stravinsky: The Firebird (1919 version) BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Juanjo Mena (conductor). Penny Gore presents music by Walton, Faure and Stravinsky.
08	20120106	Penny Gore rounds off the week by presenting the BBC's orchestras in some famous Nordic theatre music - plus more from Britain. WB Yeats co-wrote the play 'Grania and Diarmid' - and asked Elgar for some incidental music, which he duly delivered: it begins the programme today. Danish composer Carl Nielsen had spent the summer of 1918 writing music for 'Aladdin' to be performed at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen the following February. Imagine his annoyance when he arrived at the theatre to find that half the orchestra pit had disappeared to accomodate an extended stage, and that the orchestra would have to sit on the stage and perform from under the 'staircase' set. If that wasn't bad enough the theatre producer then proceeded to cut and re-order large chunks of the music. Nielsen had enough and removed his name from the production's posters and programmes. Perhaps Nielsen should have let Sibelius know about his problems, as the same theatre and same producer approached Sibelius for music for a production of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' in 1925. However, perhaps it was the producer who had learnt his lesson as this was a far more successful production. One review said: 'Shakespeare and Sibelius - at last these two geniuses have found one another'. Sibelius composed his 'Tempest' score after his Seventh Symphony, and along with Tapiola it was the last music Sibelius published. Elgar: Grania & Diarmid BBC Symphony Orchestra Nicholas Collon (conductor) 2.15pm Nielsen: Aladdin - Suite from the incidental music BBC Concert Orchestra Arvid Engegaard (conductor) 2.40pm Sibelius: The Tempest - Incidental music (complete) Actors: Geoff Breton, Richard Goulding, Sasha Higgins, Benedict Hopper, Philip Langhorne. Di Trevis (director) John Storgards (conductor) 4.10pm Grieg: Peer Gynt - Suite No.1 Arvid Engegard (conductor). Penny Gore presents music associated with the theatre, by Elgar, Nielsen and Grieg.
09	20120213	Each day this week Penny Gore presents music used for a variety of theatrical purposes, including pieces with a religious theme. Debussy composed the incidental music for a modern mystery play about St Sebastian in 1911 even though he was more mystical than religious. Goldilocks - by extreme contrast - was Leroy Anderson's first attempt at a Broadway musical. Debussy: Le martyre de St Sebastien BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Thierry Fischer (conductor). Copland: Quiet City Alison Teale (cor anglais), Bo Fuglsang (trumpet), BBC Symphony Orchestra, Nicholas Collon (conductor). Zeisl: Requiem Ebraico Emma Tring (soprano), Margaret Cameron (alto), Jamie Hall (cantor), BBC Singers, BBC Concert Orchestra, Johannes Wildner (conductor). Leroy Anderson: Goldilocks (excerpts) Kim Criswell (soprano), William Dazeley (baritone), Leonard Slatkin (conductor). Penny Gore presents music by Debussy, Copland, Zeisl and Leroy Anderson.
10	20120214	Continuing this week's theme of religious theatre music, Penny Gore presents Massenet's opera Herodiade, based on a novella by Flaubert and telling the story of Salome and John the Baptist. A recording of the recent staging at the Flanders Opera House in Ghent. Massenet: Herodiade Salome - Carmen Giannattasio (soprano), Herodias - Julia Gertseva (mezzo-soprano), John the Baptist - Zoran Todorovich (tenor), Herod - Philippe Rouillon (baritone), Phanuel - Petri Lindroos (bass), Vitellius - Igor Bakan (baritone), A High Priest - Thierry Vallier (baritone), A Young Babylonian - Julianne Gearhart (soprano), Flanders Opera Chorus and Symphony Orchestra, Dmitri Jurowski (conductor). Penny Gore presents Massenet's opera Herodiade, performed at the Flanders Opera in Ghent.
11	20120215	Penny Gore continues this week's series of music for the theatre, including pieces with a religious theme. The BBC Concert Orchestra take centre stage with their specially-recorded performance of Malipiero's musical mystery play, which tells of St Francis and the devotion of his followers. Richard Arnell's ballet The Great Detective is based on the character of the great Sherlock Holmes. Britten: 4 Sea Interludes, from Peter Grimes BBC Symphony Orchestra, Jiri Belohlavek (conductor). Malipiero: San Francesco d'Assisi Michael Bundy (St Francis, baritone), Edward Price (bass), Stephen Jeffes (tenor), Stephen Charlesworth (baritone), BBC Singers, BBC Concert Orchestra, Johannes Wildner (conductor). Arnell: The Great Detective Martin Yates (conductor). With Penny Gore. Malipiero: San Francesco d'Assisi. Britten: Four Sea Interludes.
12	20120217	Penny Gore concludes this week's series of theatre music, including pieces with a religious theme: today, Vaughan Williams's 'masque for dancing', Job, and a special new BBC Philharmonic recording of Schubert's music for the play Rosamunde, complete with the original overture played at the first performance. Plus a rare chance to hear Benjamin Britten's incidental music to Auden and Isherwood's play, The Ascent of F6. Schubert: Rosamunde Mary Bevan (soprano), Martha Jones (mezzo-soprano), Anthony Gregory (tenor), Henry Waddington (bass), Manchester Chamber Choir, BBC Philharmonic, Paul Daniel (conductor). Britten: The Ascent of F6 Eleanor Meynell (soprano), Jacqueline Fox (mezzo-soprano), Peter Wilman (tenor), Simon Birchall (bass), Actors - Alison Smart, Julia Batchelor, Andrew Murgatroyd, Stephen Charlesworth, BBC Singers, Stephen Layton (conductor). Foulds: Henry VIII Suite, Op 87 BBC Concert Orchestra, Ronald Corp (conductor). Vaughan Williams: Job: a Masque for Dancing BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis (conductor). Penny Gore presents music by Schubert, Britten, Foulds and Vaughan Williams.
13	20120312	The theatre season continues, including music inspired by the ancient world. Presented by Louise Fryer Vaughan Williams: Overture to 'The Wasps BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Stefan Solyom (conductor). Ildebrando Pizzetti: La Nave (incidental music) Alison Wells (soprano) BBC Singers New London Children's Choir, BBC Concert Orchestra, Simon Joly (conductor). Honegger: Phaedre (incidental music) BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Pascal Rophe (conductor). Stravinsky: Oedipus rex. Philip Madoc (speaker), Susan Bickley (mezzo-soprano), James Gilchrist (tenor), Timothy Robinson (tenor), Neal Davies (baritone), Darren Jeffery (bass), Stephen Richardson (bass), Estonian National Men's Choir, Jac Van Steen (conductor). Havergal Brian: A Turandot Suite Garry Walker (conductor). Louise Fryer with music by Vaughan Williams, Pizzetti, Honegger, Stravinsky and Brian.
14	20120313	Louise Fryer presents Gluck's gripping take on post-Trojan War practical and psychological family problems. A pair of siblings unexpectedly wind up together and have to contend with all the usual predicaments ancient Greek drama can throw at them, including murder, mistaken identity and pursuit by the furies. Plus more music for the theatre from Copland and Weber. Gluck: Iphigenie en Tauride, opera in four acts Iphigenie, Priestess of Diana - Susan Graham (soprano) Oreste, her brother - Russell Braun (baritone) Pylade, his friend - Joseph Kaiser (tenor) Thoas, King of Scythia - Mark S. Doss (bass) Diane - Lauren Segal (soprano) First Priestess - Jacqueline Woodley (soprano) Second Priestess - Mireille Asselin (soprano) A Scythian Man - Philippe Sly (bass-baritone) Old Servant - Robert Pomakov (bass) A Greek Woman - Ambur Braid (soprano). Canadian Opera Company Chorus and Orchestra Pablo Heras-Casado (conductor). Copland: Billy the Kid (Suite) BBC Symphony Orchestra, Garry Walker (conductor). Weber: Turandot (incidental music) Ulster Orchestra, Michael Seal (conductor). Louise Fryer presents Gluck's opera based on Greek myth, Iphigenie en Tauride.
15	20120314	Louise Fryer presents more music inspired by the ancient world. Schmitt: Anthony and Cleopatra (Suite no. 1) BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Pascal Rophe (conductor). Mozart: Thamos, King of Egypt (music for the play, K 345: revised version) Gillian Keith (soprano) Anna Stephany (mezzo soprano) James Gilchrist (tenor) Simon Kirkbride (bass-baritone) Manchester Chamber Choir, BBC Philharmonic, Matthew Halls (conductor). Einem: 4 Episodes from Turandot (Op. 1a) H. K. Gruber (conductor). Louise Fryer presents music inspired by the ancient world, by Schmitt, Mozart and Einem.
16	20120316	Louise Fryer presents more music inspired by the ancient world. Stravinsky: Apollo BBC Philharmonic, Andre De Ridder (conductor). Havergal Brian: Three Pieces from 'Turandot BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Garry Walker (conductor). Beethoven: The Creatures of Prometheus (Op. 43) Ulster Orchestra, Thierry Fischer (conductor). Busoni: Turandot (suite, Op. 41) Andrew Gourlay (conductor). Louise Fryer presents music by Stravinsky, Havergal Brian, Beethoven and Busoni.
17	20120416	Theatre Music: Shakespeare Penny Gore this week explores theatre music written for Shakespeare's plays. Today, a team of actors join the BBC Symphony Orchestra for specially recorded scenes from Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich. And these are preceded by the first Russian musical work written for a play by this 'inspired barbarian.' There's also a rare chance to hear Gerald Finzi's captivating music for a radio performance of Love's Labours Lost . Penny Gore presents music by Balakirev, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Verdi and Finzi.
18	20120417	Theatre Music: Shakespeare Penny Gore and Louise Fryer this week explore theatre music written for Shakespeare's plays. Today, the BBC Symphony Orchestra is joined by a team of actors live at their Maida Vale Studios in incidental music by three contrasting composers united by the lure of Shakespeare. That's followed by the impressive apprentice piece by the young Arthur Sullivan and by one of the most famous of all Shakespearean treatments: Serge Prokofiev's ballet music for Romeo and Juliet. Penny Gore presents music by Humperdinck, Chausson, Zemlinsky, Sullivan and Prokofiev.
19	20120418	Theatre Music: Shakespeare Penny Gore explores theatre music written for Shakespeare's plays. Today, a cast of actors and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is joined by drama students from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in an abridged semi-staged performance of Shakespeare's irresistible comedy, Much Ado About Nothing. The music was written soon after the First World War by the precocious Eric Korngold. BBC SSo and actors in a performance of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing.
20	20120420	Theatre Music: Shakespeare Penny Gore explores theatre music written for Shakespeare's plays. Today, the spotlight falls mainly on Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers in music ranging from Berlioz to Bernstein. There's also a rare chance to hear Gabriel Faure's exquisite treatment of the Merchant of Venice in a specially recorded performance from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Penny Gore presents music by Tchaikovsky, Delius, Berlioz, German, Faure and Bernstein.