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Opera - A Dinner Engagement
SIR LENNOX BERKELEY
(1903-1989)
premiere recording
A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45
59:31
An Opera in Two Scenes
Libretto by Paul Dehn
Scene 1
1.
'Salt, pepper, olive oil'
4:00
Lord Dunmow, Lady Dunmow, Boy
2.
'I'm sorry, Milady, I came through the front door'
3:25
Mrs Kneebone, Lady Dunmow, Lord Dunmow
3.
'In the summer of my time'
4:05
Lord Dunmow, Lady Dunmow, Mrs Kneebone
4.
'At Missis Ellibank's in Wimbledon'
2:27
Mrs Kneebone, Lady Dunmow, Lord Dunmow
5.
'Mother, please can I help?'
5:26
Susan, Lady Dunmow, Mrs Kneebone, Lord Dunmow
6.
'He was a quiet little boy'
3:30
Lady Dunmow, Susan, Mrs Kneebone, Lord Dunmow
7.
'Prenez six belles tomates'
3:31
Lady Dunmow, Lord Dunmow, Mrs Kneebone, Susan
8.
'Is this the residence of the Earl and Countess of Dunmow?'
1:45
Prince Philippe, Mrs Kneebone
Scene 2
9.
'So this, dear Lady Dunmow, is your drawing room'
2:12
Duchess, Lady Dunmow, Prince Philippe, Lord Dunmow
10.
'I never moved a muscle'
2:20
Lord Dunmow, Lady Dunmow, Duchess, Prince Philippe
11.
'Forgive my curiosity, but is your servant that young girl. . .?'
3:28
Prince Philippe, Lord Dunmow, Lady Dunmow, Duchess
12.
'Come and see our little garden'
2:05
Lady Dunmow, Lord Dunmow, Prince Philippe, Duchess
13.
'This way, Ma'am, through the back door'
2:49
Lord Dunmow, Duchess, Prince Philippe, Susan
14.
'Oh, shall I kneel in shame. . .?'
2:50
Susan, Prince Philippe
15.
'I like to imagine how these must have looked'
4:14
Susan, Prince Philippe
16.
'Mon aimée attend la lune'
2:08
Prince Philippe
17.
'Kiss her at once!'
3:24
Duchess, Prince Philippe, Susan, Lord Dunmow, Lady Dunmow, Boy
18.
'Let her beauty be her dowry'
2:43
Duchess, Susan, Prince Philippe, Lord Dunmow, Lady Dunmow, Boy, Mrs Kneebone
19.
'My Lords, Ladies, Duchess and gentlemen!'
3:01
Mrs Kneebone, Prince Philippe, Susan
Solo:Roderick Williams baritone - The Earl of Dunmow
Solo: Yvonne Kenny soprano - The Countess of Dunmow
Solo: Claire Rutter soprano - Susan
Solo:Jean Rigby mezzo-soprano - Mrs Kneebone
Solo: Anne Collins mezzo-soprano - HRH The Grand Duchess of Monteblanco
Solo: Robin Leggate tenor - HRH Prince Philippe
Solo: Blake Fischer tenor - An Errand Boy
Orchestra: City of London Sinfonia
Conductor:Richard Hickox
23-27 September 2003
Notes
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Reviews
'This excellent first recording is based on performances at last year's Cheltenham Festival, when Hickox conducted the City of London Sinfonia, with a cast led by Anne Collins, Claire Rutter and Yvonne Kenny.'
Financial Times Magazine
'The opera is a total delight, and so is the recording.'
American Record Guide
Berkeleys transparent, French-inflected score is ideally suited to domestic listening, and the most sprightly singers - Roderick Williams, Yvonne Kenny and Claire Rutter - lead the way, rollicking and rolling through the social comedy.
The Times
'As a comedy it may be dated, but on disc Berkeley's score works well, with excellent singing all round''
The Guardian
'Altogether an admirable diversion!'
International Record Review
This is a scintillating comedy adroitly characterised and full of memorable tunes. Its finesse comes from Mozart, and the libretto works hand-in-glove with the music and admirably demonstrated by this superb recording.'
Gramophone Critic's Choice
This performance of Sir Lennox Berkeley’s one-act opera written for Aldeburgh in 1954 was a success during the composer’s centenary year in 2003 and it is good to have it preserved.
The Sunday Telegraph
'Anne Collins as the Duchess is magnificent; Claire Rutter as Susan is enchaning; Robin leggate makes a mellifluously charming Prince. But this is an all-star cast and the Mozartian ensembles are scintillating. Once again enormous credit to Richard Hickox whose total understanding of the Berkeley's music gives him unrivalled authority in this long-delayed debut. Well recorded, too'
Gramophone
With a nod to Lord Berner's 'Wedding Bouquet' and 'La Carosse du Saint-Sacrement' and also perhaps Elizabeth Maconchy's 'The Sofa', Sir Lennox Berkeley makes a splendid case for an English claim to have cornered the market for short pithy social comedy; 'A Dinner Engagement' is a sparkling delight. While it shows Berekeley's early indoctrination in all that is best in French 20th Century music, the subject is treated in the very English traditions of Waugh, Wodehouse, Mitfords, Powell and Coward. With Hickox as majo domo, only champagne is served at this dinner engagement!
M Lloyd-Williams
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