大象传媒

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 大象传媒's orchestras - the 大象传媒 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
Tippett
Ritual Dances from 'The Midsummer Marriage'
大象传媒 National Orchestra of Wales
Richard Hickox (conductor).