The Girl of the Golden West, Edward Gardner, Early 20th-Century Music Drama, Nike Wagner
Tom Service reviews The Girl of the Golden West and talks to conductor Edward Gardner. Plus Vaughan Williams and early 20th-century music drama, and Nike Wagner on Beethovenfest.
Tom Service reviews ENO's new production of Puccini's "The Girl of the Golden West", talks to conductor Edward Gardner, hears about Roger Savage's new book Masques, Mayings and Music Dramas - a look at early 20th century English music drama, with Vaughan Williams at its core - and talks to Nike Wagner about Beethovenfest, Bonn.
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ENO: THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST
English National Operaβs new production of Pucciniβs βAmerican operaβ La Fanciulla del West opened on Thursday evening. Based on David Belascoβs play The Girl of the Golden West, Pucciniβs operatic setting premiered at The Met in New York in 1910 β a western adventure featuring gold-miners and bandits. Tom Service talks to this productionβs director Richard Jones and the soprano Susan Bullock who sings the role of Minnie β the only girl in town who runs The Polka saloon and falls in love with the bandit Ramerrez. Critic David Nice and opera scholar Alexandra Wilson review the production.
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EDWARD GARDNER
The 2014-15 Season is Edward Gardnerβs last as Music Director of English National Opera β a position which he has held since 2007.Μύ He talks toTom about leading ENO into a new era and the grave challenges that opera companies face with cuts to arts funding as well as what his future holds, as he takes up the baton as Music Director of the Bergen Philharmonic next year.
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MASQUES, MAYINGS AND MUSIC-DRAMA BY ROGER SAVAGE
In his new book Masques, Mayings and Music-Dramas, Roger Savage paints a picture of music-theatrical radicalism at the start of the 20th century in England that encompassed folk art-forms, theatre, dance, and song. Itβs a movement in which Vaughan Williams was arguably the key player β with the influence of Wagner very much in evidence, Tom hears more from author Roger Savage and Vaughan Williams biographer Michael Kennedy.
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NIKE WAGNER AND BEETHOVENFEST BONN
Every year in September, Beethovenβs native city of Bonn celebrates the Beethovenfest, welcoming top international orchestras, well-known soloists, major ensembles and promising young performers. The tradition of Beethoven festivals in Bonn reaches back to 1845, when a three-day music event was held to mark the dedication of the Beethoven Monument. This year Nike Wagner has taken over as director and manager of the Festival and she speaks to Petroc Trelawny about her vision for the festival and the link between Beethoven and her musical ancestors: Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt.
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Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Tom Service |
| Interviewed Guest | Edward Gardner |
| Interviewed Guest | Nike Wagner |
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