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Berlioz's Beatrice et Benedict

From the 2016 Glyndebourne Festival, a performance of Berlioz's final opera, Beatrice et Benedict. With mezzo-soprano Stephanie d'Oustrac and tenor Paul Appleby in the title roles.

Berlioz had been a life-long Shakespeare enthusiast and for his final op茅ra comique, B茅atrice et B茅n茅dict, he wrote his own libretto based on Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado about Nothing. The opera was completed in 1858, soon after Berlioz had finished The Trojans, and he received an overwhelming response at its premiere in Baden-Baden. However, the opera has not become part of the staple repertoire (although the Overture is often played independently), but it contains some delightful music, particularly for the female characters. This performance was recorded earlier this summer at the Glyndebourne Festival, with conductor Antonello Manacorda making his Glyndebourne debut in director Laurent Pelly's new production. The title roles are taken by mezzo-soprano St茅phanie d'Oustrac and tenor Paul Appleby, the sparring couple trying to hide their true feelings.
Presented by Andrew McGregor and Sarah Lenton.

B茅atrice..... St茅phanie d'Oustrac (mezzo-soprano)
B茅n茅dict..... Paul Appleby (tenor)
H茅ro .....Anne-Catherine Gillet (soprano)
Claudio..... Philippe Sly (bass baritone)
Somarone..... Lionel Lhote (baritone)
Don Pedro..... Fr茅d茅ric Caton (bass)
Ursule..... Katarina Bradic (mezzo soprano)

London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Glyndebourne Chorus
Antonello Manacorda (conductor).

3 hours

Last on

Sat 8 Oct 2016 18:30
大象传媒 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Hector Berlioz

    Beatrice et Benedict Act I

    Singer: Paul Appleby. Singer: St茅phanie d'Oustrac. Conductor: Antonello Manacorda.

  • Hector Berlioz

    Beatrice et Benedict Act II

    Singer: Paul Appleby. Singer: St茅phanie d'Oustrac. Conductor: Antonello Manacorda.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    String Quartet No. 16 in E flat major, K.428

    Ensemble: Van Kuijk Quartet.
    • Alpha Classics.

  • Erroll Garner

    Misty

    Performer: Peter Moore. Performer: Jonathan Ware.
    • 大象传媒 New Generation Artists recording.

Synopsis

Act I

In the Sicilian town of Messina, the citizens are gathered to welcome Don Pedro, prince of Aragon, who is about to return from a successful military campaign. L茅onato, the governor, arrives with his niece B茅atrice and his daughter H茅ro, who eagerly anticipates the return of her beloved Claudio, Don Pedro鈥檚 comrade in arms. When Don Pedro and his troops arrive, the wedding of H茅ro and Claudio is announced for that evening. Meanwhile, H茅ro鈥檚 cousin B茅atrice has a very different kind of reunion with another soldier, B茅n茅dict. The pair lose no time in resuming their longstanding 鈥榤erry war鈥�, trading taunts and wisecracks.

Somarone, the local music master, arrives with his musicians to rehearse the wedding song he has composed, a ham-handed double fugue.

B茅n茅dict swears to Claudio and Don Pedro that he will never marry. His friends, however, conspire to trick B茅atrice and B茅n茅dict into admitting their love for one another. They stage a conversation for B茅n茅dict to overhear in which L茅onato tells Pedro that B茅atrice loves B茅n茅dict. Upon hearing this, B茅n茅dict admits to himself that he loves B茅atrice and resolves to pursue her.

H茅ro and her attendant Ursule have meanwhile hatched a similar plot, having arranged for B茅atrice to overhear a conversation about B茅n茅dict鈥檚 love for her. H茅ro and Ursula rhapsodise about the beauty of the evening and the bliss of love.

Act II

At the wedding celebration for H茅ro and Claudio, Somarone leads the guests in song. All are making merry except B茅atrice, who admits to herself that she is in love with B茅n茅dict, though she is loath to give up her freedom. B茅atrice joins H茅ro and Ursule in extolling the joys of impending marriage. As H茅ro is summoned to her wedding, B茅atrice runs into B茅n茅dict. The two, though smitten, continue to bait one another.

As Claudio and H茅ro sign their marriage contract, the notary produces a second contract and asks if another couple wishes to be married. B茅atrice and B茅n茅dict confess their true feelings and sign the wedding contract, declaring that today a truce is signed but the war may continue tomorrow.

Broadcast

  • Sat 8 Oct 2016 18:30
    大象传媒 Radio 3

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