Ballet and Opera Catalogue

Title Ballet & Opera 

Catalogue

'The audience is requested not to refrain from talking during the overture, 

otherwise they will know all tunes before the opera begins.' 

– Ralph Vaughan Williams on the overture to The Poisoned Kiss – 

This catalogue draws together a list of musical stage works available from Oxford University Press. For 

each title details of orchestration, roles, and approximate duration, as well as a brief synopsis 

or description are given. 

The catalogue opens with Ballets, including works by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gustav Holst and Michael 

Berkeley, as well as well-loved classics such as John Lanchbery’s version of Ferdinand Hérold’s La fille mal 

gardée, commissioned to match Frederick Ashton’s peerless choreography and Osbert Lancaster’s stage 

designs. 

Alongside the ballets that were written by composers specifically for dance listed in this catalogue, 

Oxford University Press publishes many other works suitable for use with choreography. To discuss these 

possibilities further, please contact the Oxford University Press repertoire promotion team. 

The Opera list includes original compositions across a range of dramatic large-scale operas through to 

light-hearted and witty operettas, the works together covering a broad range of subjects and styles. The 

list encompasses titles by composers including William Mathias, Phyllis Tate, Alun Hoddinott, Libby Larsen 

and Zhou Long. Highlights include modern and authoritative editions of William Walton’s The Bear, and 

Vaughan Williams’s Shakespearean opera Sir John in Love. Additionally, there is a selection of practical 

and scholarly editions of historic operatic repertoire including Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and John 

Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera, as well as four works by George Frideric Handel. Other highlights include David 

Lloyd-Jones’s acclaimed edition of Modest Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov, which presents the initial 1869 

version and the ‘final version’ of 1874 with both the original Russian text and English translations, plus 

two scholarly editions of Gilbert & Sullivan Savoy operas – The Yeomen of the Guard and Ruddigore. 

Musical Dramas for Young People draws together a list of works, often with flexible scoring and 

instrumentation, on themes that are suitable for young performers or that are designed to be viewed by 

a younger audience. Highlights include works by Phyllis Tate and John Gardner, as well as John Rutter’s 

The Reluctant Dragon, The Wind in the Willows and Bang!, and Bob Chilcott’s Birdland. 

The final section of the catalogue highlights a selection of ballet and opera titles and excerpts that are 

suitable for the concert platform, including ballet suites, and opera overtures, as well as an extensive 

range of orchestrations matching John Rutter’s volume Opera Choruses in the Oxford Choral Classics 

series – a ‘must’ for any Opera Gala evening. 

Cover photograph credits: 

Left: Ralph Vaughan Williams– The Pilgrim's Progress. Royal Northern College of Music 2019. Photograph: Robert Workman 

Upper Right: Phillis Tate– The Lodger. Stadt Theater Bremerhaven 2018. Photograph: Heiko Sandelmann 

Lower Right: Zhou Long – Madame White Snake. Opera Boston 2016. Photograph: James Matthew Daniel. 

2

Ballet 

Berkeley, Michael 

Bastet 4 

The Mayfly 4 

Crosse, Gordon 

Wildboy 4 

Young Apollo 4 

Hérold, Ferdinand 

La fille mal gardée 5 

Holst, Gustav 

The Golden Goose 5 

The Morning of the Year 5 

Lambert, Constant 

Horoscope 6 

Pomona 6 

Romeo and Juliet 6 

Lövenskjöld, Herman Severin 

La Sylphide 6 

Rawsthorne, Alan 

Madame Chrysanthème 7 

Skempton, Howard 

Delicate 7 

Vaughan Williams, Ralph 

Job: A Masque for Dancing 8 

Death of Tintagiles 8 

Walton, William 

Escape Me Never 8 

Façade 9 

The Quest 9 

The Wise Virgins 9 

Opera 

Adler, Samuel 

The Outcasts of Poker Flat 10 

The Wrestler 10 

Berkeley, Michael 

Baa Baa Black Sheep 10 

For You 11 

Jane Eyre 11 

Buller, John 

Bakxai 12 

Butler, Martin 

A Better Place 13 

Craig’s Progress 13 

The Sirens’ Song 13 


The Grace of Todd 14 

Potter Thompson 14 

Purgatory 14 

The Story of Vasco 15 

Finnissy, Michael 

Shameful Vice 15 

Thérèse Raquin 15 

Gay, John 

The Beggar’s Opera 16 

Handel, George Frideric 

Athalia 16 

Imeneo 16 

Julius Caesar 17 

Semele 17 

Harper, Edward 

Fanny Robin 18 

Hedda Gabler 18 

The Mellstock Quire 18 

Hoddinott, Alun 

The Beach of Falesá 19 

The Magician 19 

The Trumpet Major 19 

Larsen, Libby 

Barnum’s Bird 20 

Dreaming Blue 20 

Eric Hermannson’s Soul 21 

Mathias, William 

The Servants 21 

Mussorgsky, Modest 

Boris Godunov 21 

Purcell, Henry 

Dido and Aeneas 22 

Sullivan, Arthur 

Ruddigore 23 

The Yeomen of the Guard 24 

Tate, Phyllis 

The Lodger 25 

What D'ye Call it 25 

Vaughan Willliams, Ralph 

The Bridal Day 26 

The First Nowell 26 

The Pilgrim’s Progress 26 

The Poisoned Kiss 27 

Riders to the Sea 27 

The Shepherds of Delectable 

Mountains 28 

Sir John in Love 28 

Walton, William 

The Bear 29 

Troilus and Cressida 30 

Zhou Long 

Madame White Snake 31 

Musical Dramas 

for Young People 

Arch, Gwyn 

The Runaway Zoo 32 

Arnold, Samuel 

School and Crossbones 32 

Blake, David 

It’s a Small War 33 

Chilcott, Bob 

Birdland 33 


The Dream of 

Adachigahara 34 

Holly from the Bongs 34 

Gardner, John 

Bel and the Dragon 34 

Grant, Will 

Red Riding Hood 34 

Jacob, Gordon 

Animal Magic 35 

Long, Robert 

Daedalus and Icarus 35 

The Fire Maid 35 

Mathias, William 

Jonah 36 

Rutter, John 

Bang! 336 

Brother Heinrich's Christmas 37 

Piper of Hamelin 37 

The Reluctant Dragon 38 

The Wind in the Willows 38 

Tate, Phyllis 

A Pride of Lions 39 

The Scarecrow 39 

Solar 39 

Twice in a Blue Moon 39 

Ballet & Opera 

in Concert 41–3 

Contents 

Bizet, Georges 

Doctor Miracle 12 

Johnson, Robert Sherlaw 

The Lambton Worm 23 

Hoddinott, Alun 

What the Old Man Does 

is Always Right 35 

3

Ballet Berkeley – Crosse 

4 

Bastet 

Michael Berkeley 

Conductor’s score and parts on hire 9780193555136 

2 fl, 2 ob, 2 cl, 2 bsn, 4 hn, 2 tpt, 3 tbn, tba, timp, 2 perc, str 

Bastet was commissioned by Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet 

in 1988, and was choreographed by Lynn Seymour. The 

piece is based around Bastet, the Egyptian goddess 

of fertility and cats. The story is of a young man who 

does not initially reciprocate the love of his suitor, and 

he leaves to seek the goddess whom he idolises in the 

temple of Bastet. In her anguish, the girl pleads with 

Bastet to help regain his love. The goddess agrees to 

help, and transforms the girl into an image of herself. 

When the young man is awoken from his trance, he 

instantly takes his lover back. 

30 minutes 

The Mayfly 


fl, cl, perc, pno, vln, vc 

The Mayfly was choreographed by Lynn Seymour 

in 1984. It was composed for a chamber group of 

musicians and created for young dancers – the 

Brownies – and starred Wayne Sleep. 

12 minutes 

Axel Michel 

Wildboy 

Gordon Crosse 


2fl, 2ob, 2cl, 2bsn, 4hn (3&4 opt), 2tpt, 3tbn, 3P, cimb, pf, e.guit 

(opt), hp, str 

Originally choreographed by Kenneth Miller, Wildboy is a 

fable demonstrating what happens when the untamed 

and the tamed come together, and how their actions 

contaminate one another. The story focuses on the 

relationship of two men and a woman when they find 

and attempt to domesticate a boy who has grown up in 

the wild. 

27 minutes 

Young Apollo 

after Benjamin Britten’s Young Apollo 


2 fl, 2 ob, 3 cl (III+bcl), 2 bsn, 4 hn, 3 tpt, 3 tbn, timp, 2 perc, 

hp, cel/pno, str quartet, str 

Inspired by a request from choreographer David Bintley, 

Crosse extended Benjamin Britten’s Young Apollo and 

expanded the instrumentation to create a movement 

of ballet music. The resulting ballet was premiered at 

the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, in 

1984. Britten’s work, written for piano, string quartet 

and string orchestra, was inspired by the composer’s 

first love interest, but withdrawn for many years after its 

second performance. The work is founded on the last 

lines of Keats's unfinished poem Hyperion. Mnemosyne, 

having witnessed the defeat of the Titans led by 

Hyperion, deserts the Titans for Delos. She sees the birth 

of Apollo and reveals his destiny, before Apollo casts off 

his mortal form. 

30 minutes

ed. John Lanchbery 

Ferdinand Hérold 

La fille mal gardée 


2 fl (picc), 2 ob, 2 cl, 2 bsn, 4 hn, 2 tpt, 3 tbn, tba, 

timp, perc, hp, str 

Lise (the badly guarded daughter) 

Colas (Lise’s beloved) 

Widow Simone (Lise’s mother, traditionally 

danced by a man) 

Alain (Lise’s rich, dim-witted suitor) 

Thomas (Alain’s father) 

Notary 

Farm workers, friends of Lise and Colas 

Rooster and three hens 

In Frederick Ashton’s 1960 version of a ballet that has 

existed in various forms since the late 1700s, Ferdinand 

Hérold’s score is edited, orchestrated and augmented 

by John Lanchbery. The story is a simple and lighthearted 

one of young love flying in the face of parental 

disapproval, and in true fairy-tale fashion everything 

works out in the end. The score is lively, energetic and 

witty, artfully intertwining familiar melodies with folk 

tunes. Since its premiere, this version, commissioned to 

match Frederick Ashton’s peerless choreography and 

Osbert Lancaster’s colourful stage designs, has been 

performed worldwide and is in many respects now 

considered the ‘traditional’ rendering. 

100 minutes 

Gustav Holst 

The Golden Goose 

Full version: vocal and instrumental scores 

on hire 9780193368989 

Orchestral version: conductor’s score 

and parts on hire 9780193647442 

picc, 2fl, 2ob, ca, 2cl, 2bsn, 2hn, 2tpt, 3tbn, tba, timp, 1 (or 2) 

perc, cel, str 

This choral ballet is set to verse by Holst’s pupil Jane 

Joseph from Grimm’s fairy tale. It tells the story of a 

princess who could not laugh, narrating attempts by a 

group of mummers to entertain her, until finally a young 

man succeeds and wins her hand. Its charming music 

is replete with folk-influenced melodies and colourful 

orchestration that vividly illustrate the story. 

30 minutes 

The Morning of the Year 

Vocal and instrumental scores on hire 9780193369009 

picc, 2fl, 2ob, ca, 2cl, 2bsn, cbn, 4hn, 2tpt, 3tbn, tba, timp, 

1perc, org, str 

Originally commissioned by the BBC, this choral ballet is 

themed around spring, rebirth, nature and the English 

rites surrounding them. Complex in its counterpoint, 

mixed metres, and combinations of more than one 

key at once, the music is underpinned by English folk 

influences throughout. Each movement evokes a 

different atmosphere, the mood varying from serene 

and lyrical to declamatory and full of rhythmic vitality. 

25 minutes 

ed. Imogen Holst and Colin Matthews 

The Morning of the Year (Dances) 


picc, 2fl, 2ob, ca, 2cl, 2bsn, cbn, 4hn, 2tpt, 3tbn, tba, timp, 2 perc, 

str 

The original version of The Morning of the Year was written 

in 1926. In 1979, Imogen Holst and Colin Matthews 

edited the concert version, omitting the chorus and 

shortening several dances, forming this ballet. 

8 minutes 

Ballet Hérold – Holst 

5

Ballet Lambert – Lövenskjöld 

6 

Horoscope 

Constant Lambert 


3fl (2&3/picc), 2ob (2/ca), 2cl, 2bsn, 4hn, 3tpt, 3tbn, tuba, timp, 

2perc, 1(or2)hp, str 

Created in 1937 with choreography by Frederick Ashton, 

this astrologically themed ballet follows the story of a 

man and woman who are united by their mutual moon 

sign of Gemini, but divided by their opposing sun signs 

of Leo and Virgo. To become lovers, they must overcome 

their differences and find the things that unite them. 

Nine movements of the original sparkling score survive, 

bursting with exuberance and romanticism. 

40 minutes 

Pomona 


picc, fl, ob, 2 cl, bn, 2 hn, 2 tpt, tbn, timp, str 

Pomona was choreographed by Frederick Ashton in 

1930, and highlights Lambert's interest in French music 

of the 1920s, whilst retaining his neoclassical style. The 

ballet opens with Pomona, the goddess of fruits, and 

her nymphs being approached by the god Vertumnus 

and his train of immortals in hunting attire. This startles 

Pomona, she departs and Vertumnus decides to return 

in disguise. After a series of flirtations and eventually 

Vertumnus revealing his disguise, the two dance a 

joyous nuptial dance with the nymphs and immortals. 

20 minutes 

Romeo and Juliet 


picc, fl, ob, 2 cl, bsn, 2 hn, 2 tpt, tbn, 2 perc, str 

Lambert’s first work for dancers, this original treatment 

of Shakespeare’s story is a ballet within a ballet, set 

during rehearsals for a production of Romeo and Juliet. 

As the principals and corps de ballet prepare for the 

performance, a parallel romance unfolds among the 

cast. Even at this early stage in his career, Lambert’s 

technical brilliance and effortless, characterful style are 

strongly on display throughout. 

30 minutes 

Herman Severin Lövenskjöld 


La Sylphide 


3 fl (III+picc), 2 ob (II+ca), 2 cl, 2 bsn, 4 hn, 3 tpt, 3 tbn, tba, 

timp, 3 perc, hp, str 

James Ruben, a Scottish farmer 

The Sylph, a forest spirit 

Gurn, James’s friend 

Effie, James’s fiancée 

Old Madge, a village sorceress 

Effie's mother, an elderly woman 

bridesmaids, wedding guests, witches 

One of the world’s oldest surviving ballets, this version 

was choreographed by August Bournonville in 1836. 

In this tragic fairy tale, a sylph falls in love with a young 

farmer and succeeds in drawing him away from his 

betrothed, but both are ultimately betrayed by the 

village sorceress. 

60 minutes

Alan Rawsthorne 

Madame Chrysanthème 


3 fl, ob, 2 bsn, 2 hn, 3 tpt, pno, cel, timp, 2 perc, hp, str 

D Pierre, a French sailor 

Yves, his brother 

Mme Chrysanthème 

Mme Renoncule, her mother 

M Très-Propre, her father 

M Kangarou, a marriage broker 

Mlle Wistéria, a courtesan 

Mlle Pluie d'Avril, a courtesan 

Mlle Pureté, Mlle Prune, cousins of Chrysanthème 

A Dignitary 

Bambou, a boatman and rickshaw boy 

Government Officials 

Mousmés and Mouskos (Chrysanthème’s friends) 

Djinn 

With a story based on the novel of the same name 

by Pierre Loti and original choreography by Frederick 

Ashton, Madame Chysanthème narrates the temporary 

marriage between a naval officer and a Japanese 

woman while he is stationed in Nagasaki. 

40 minutes 

Delicate 

Howard Skempton 


2 vc, perc (timpano, congas, glockenspiel) 

Delicate is a reflection of the loneliness, dissatisfaction 

and need in the lives of six characters on one night 

when moral truths are effectively shattered in an 

attempt to discover a cure. As the night progresses, the 

temperature rises, partners change and change again – 

looking for satisfaction and an escape from themselves. 

The premiere was given by Motionhouse Dance Theatre 

company in 1996, with this performance additionally 

incorporating poetry by Scottish writer A. L. Kennedy 

to accompany the choreography by Kevin Finnan and 

Louise Richards. Skempton’s score is transcendent 

yet barbed with rhythmically angular moments, 

highlighting the twisted narrative of the characters’ 

journeys. 

40 minutes 

Ballet Rawsthorne – Skempton 

7

Ballet Vaughan Williams – Walton 

Ralph Vaughan Williams 

Job: A Masque for Dancing 

Full orchestral version 


Study score 9780193514324 

3 fl (III+picc & alto fl), 2 ob, ca, 3 cl, bcl, alto sax (opt), 2 bsn, 

cbsn (opt), 4 hn, 3 tpt, 3 tbn, tba, 2 hp, org, timp, perc, str 

The one-act ballet Job has been described as one of 

Vaughan Williams’s mightiest achievements. It is a 

work that, in a full production, combines painting, 

literature, music and dance. The work was inspired by 

William Blake’s illustrations of the Book of Job, and 

includes quotations from the King James Bible. The 

result is a musical masterpiece, combining the ancient 

and the modern: Vaughan Williams’s earlier style is in 

evidence, including tranquil pastoral melodies, but 

the work also anticipates the composer’s later style. A 

scholarly edition of the score, edited by Julian Rushton, 

is available on sale. 

45 minutes 

arr. Constant Lambert 

Job: A Masque for Dancing 

Theatre version 


2 fl (II+picc), ob, 2 cl, alto sax (opt), bsn, 2 hn, 

2 tpt, tbn, 3 perc, timp, hp, str 

A reduced orchestration of the original scoring by 

Vaughan Williams. 

45 minutes 

ed. Roy Douglas 

Death of Tintagiles 


ob, cl, hn, str 

Vaughan Williams composed this melancholic and 

darkly atmospheric score as incidental music for a 

1913 production of the Belgian playwright Maurice 

Maeterlinck’s play The Death of Tintagiles. In the play, 

Tintagiles’s family has been murdered by the Queen 

and, although he tries to escape, he is ultimately 

murdered by the Queen too. Marionettes are used in 

place of actors, indicating that the characters are merely 

puppets of fate. Despite the generally morose tone, the 

music still has moments of warmth and tenderness, and 

does not display the violence and abrasiveness of some 

of the composer’s later works. 

15 minutes 

Escape Me Never 

William Walton 


2 fl, 2 ob, 2 cl, 2 bsn, 4 hn, 3 tpt, 3 tbn, tba, timp, 

3 perc, hp, str 

A ballet scene in film for full orchestra, from the film 

Escape Me Never. It was William Walton’s first film score, 

written in 1935. The film starred Elisabeth Bergner and 

was directed by Paul Czinner. 

3 minutes 

8

Roy Smiljanic 

Façade 

Ashton Ballet 


picc, fl, 2 ob, ca, 2 cl, alto sax, 2 bsn, 4 hn, 2 tpt, tbn, tba, timp, 

2 perc, str 

A ballet in one act, choreographed by Frederick 

Ashton. The work is a conflation of movements taken 

from Walton's Façade Orchestral Suite No. 1 and No.2. 

The ballet is based on an interpretation of items from 

Walton’s original ‘Entertainment’ Façade, which set 

poetry by Edith Sitwell. There is no overall plot to the 

work. 

Fanfare · Scotch Rhapsody · Swiss Jodelling Song · Polka 

· Old Sir Faulk · Valse · Popular Song · Tango - Pasodoble · 

Tarantella Sevillana 

18 minutes 

Façade - Birmingham Royal Ballet, 2014 

ed. David Lloyd-Jones 

The Quest 


Full score (William Walton Ballets) 9780193365087 

2fl (1&2/picc), 2ob (2/ca), 2cl, 2bsn, 4hn, 2tpt, 3tbn, timp, 4/5 

perc, cel/keyed glk, hp, str 

The Quest was choreographed by Frederick Ashton in 

1943. The plot is based on The Faerie Queene by the 

Elizabethan poet Edmund Spenser, and depicts the 

triumph of good over evil. St George (the Red Cross 

Knight) and Una (Truth) face the deception of the evil 

magician Archimago (personifying Hypocrisy) as they 

venture through the Palace of Pride. After trials and 

tribulations, the ballet reaches its climax in the fifth 

scene when St George brings Una to the House of 

Holiness and pledges himself to England. This edition 

by David Lloyd-Jones includes a restoration of Walton’s 

original orchestration. 

45 minutes 

Johann Sebastian Bach 

arr. William Walton 

The Wise Virgins 


Full score 9780193365087 

2 fl (I&II+picc), 2 ob (II+ca), 2 cl, 2 bsn, 4 hn, 2 tpt, 3 tbn, 

timp, hp, str 

This one-act ballet in nine movements has a story 

based on the biblical parable of the Wise and Foolish 

Virgins. Each of the numbers uses music selected from 

J. S. Bach’s chorale preludes and cantatas as follows: 

1. Sleepers Wake!; 2. The Saviour is born today; 3. What 

God hath done is rightly done; 4. Lord, hear my longing; 5. 

See what His love can do; 6. Ah! How ephemeral; 

7. Sheep may safely graze; 8. What God hath done, 

is rightly done (adapted reprise of no. 3); 9. Praise be 

to God. 

26 minutes 

"Walton has scored it with real taste and a telling 

ear for effect. The noble melodies are transferred to 

the theatre without loss of dignity" 

- The Spectator - 

Ballet Walton 

9

Opera Adler – Berkeley 

Samuel Adler 

The Outcasts of Poker Flat 


2fl (2/picc), 2ob, 2cl, 2bn, 2hn, 2tpt, timp/perc, str 

Dutchess/‘Mother Shipton’ mezzo-soprano 

Uncle Billy bass 

Mr Oakhurst baritone 

Innocent tenor 

Piney soprano 

Men's chorus 

The Outcasts of Poker Flat tells the tale of a mid-1800s 

Californian community where a secret society, feeling 

that the moral atmosphere of the town is in decline, 

determines that its ‘undesirable’ residents must be sent 

away. The three exiles – a professional poker player, a 

saloon girl and a suspected robber – meet with a pair of 

runaway lovers as they try to reach a safe camp beyond 

the mountain range. The ensuing – and ultimately 

unsuccessful – struggle to survive encompasses 

altruism, love and betrayal. Adapted by librettist Judah 

Stampfer from a short story by West American author 

Bret Harte. 

60 minutes 

The Wrestler 


2 fl (II+picc), ob, cl, bsn, hn, 2 tpt, 2 tbn, 2 perc, pno (+cel), 

org, str 

Jacob baritone 

Obediah, his servant bass-baritone 

Jacob’s wives: Rachel soprano and Leah mezzo-soprano 

Esau bass-baritone 

women's choir, men’s choir, children’s choir 

The Wrestler is an operatic interpretation of the biblical 

story of brothers Jacob and Esau, told from Jacob’s 

perspective. The action is staged from the point at 

which Esau’s army is approaching Jacob’s family, 

but also encompasses flashback scenes in which 

Jacob’s earlier life and deceptions are illustrated. 

The overarching theme is of reconciliation, not only 

between the two brothers but within Jacob himself 

following his ‘wrestling’ with the Angel, who in this 

interpretation is as much a psychological presence as a 

physical one. This musically challenging work is adapted 

from Genesis 32–33 by librettist Judah Stampfer, an 

ordained rabbi. 

40 minutes 

Michael Berkeley 

Baa Baa Black Sheep 


fl (+picc/alto fl), ob (+ca), cl (+bcl), bsn (cbsn), 2 hn, 2 tpt, 

3 tbn, perc, hp, pno, str 

Punch/Mowgli as a child treble 

Mowgli, as a young man baritone 

Judy mezzo-soprano 

Father, Father Wolf/Messua’s husband baritone 

Mother/Mother Wolf, Messua soprano 

Captain/Akela bass-baritone 

Auntirosa/Baldeo contralto 

Harry/Shere Khan tenor 

Bhini-in-the-Garden/Baloo bass-baritone 

Meeta/Bagheera bass-baritone 

Salaam-Captain-Sahib-Snake-Man/Ka tenor 

Priest tenor 

Drawing on both Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book 

and his autobiographical story Baa Baa Black Sheep, 

Berkeley’s opera layers the two narratives so as to create 

parallels between the cruel treatment of a young boy 

living in the human world and his fantastical adventures 

among the jungle animals. While he eventually achieves 

revenge, his story is ultimately a tragic one: by the 

time he has vanquished his greatest tormentor, he has 

sustained deep psychological damage. The libretto 

of this three-act opera is by David Malouf and offers a 

wide variety of solo roles. Most of the human characters 

have an animal counterpart, to be performed by the 

same singer. 

120 minutes 

"The dramatic pacing is so sure. The vocal writing is 

intensively expressive, and at one or two key points 

startlingly lyrical. With this goes a vivid, sometimes 

riotously colourful orchestral score, often sharpedged 

and harmonically astringent, but allowing a 

few fleeting moments of near tonal warmth" 

- Stephen Johnson, The Independent - 

10

For You 


fl (+picc/alto fl), ob (+ca), cl (+bcl+Ebcl), bsn (+cbsn), hn, tpt, 

tbn, perc (+timp), hp, str 

Charles Frieth baritone 

Antonia, his wife soprano 

Robin, his assistant tenor 

Maria, his housekeeper mezzo-soprano 

Simon, Antonia’s doctor baritone 

Joan, a musician soprano 

This dramatic two-act work for soloists and chamber 

orchestra explores the tumultuous relationships in 

the household of a pre-eminent composer, driven by 

sexual and artistic obsession. Charles Frieth is a serial 

womaniser but nevertheless reacts with jealousy 

when he finds out that his wife Antonia, who suffers 

with poor health, is in love with her long-term doctor. 

The situation is complicated by his housekeeper 

Maria, who idolises Charles and believes that he 

returns her feelings. Charles resolves to change his 

ways but circumstances quickly unravel in a series of 

misunderstandings, ending with Antonia’s tragic death. 

Libretto by novelist and screenwriter Ian McEwan. 

140 minutes 

"The music is energetic, deftly coloured and carefully 

balanced" 

- The Sunday Times - 

Jane Eyre 


fl (+picc/alto fl), ob (+ca), cl, bsn, tpt, hn, tbn (+btbn), perc, hp, 

vln, vla, vc, db 

Jane Eyre soprano 

Adele soprano 

Mrs Fairfax mezzo-soprano 

Mrs Rochester contralto 

Mr Rochester bass 

Adapted from the latter part of Charlotte Brontë’s 

famous novel, this compact opera focuses on the 

events following Jane’s arrival at Thornfield Hall. 

Her burgeoning relationship with her employer 

Mr Rochester is interrupted by the revelation of his 

disturbed and violent incarcerated wife, but, although 

tragedy ensues, both Eyre and Rochester are ultimately 

able to find happiness. This opera has a libretto by 

David Malouf and its musical world is eclectic and 

wide-ranging, encompassing influences from both 

nineteenth- and twentieth-century opera. 

84 minutes 

Opera Berkeley 

11

Opera Bizet – Buller 

Doctor Miracle 

Georges Bizet 


2fl (2/picc), ob, 2cl, bsn, 2hn, 2tpt, trn, timp/tri, str 

Stage Band: cl, tbn, bd/cym 

Le Podestat, the Magistrate of Padua baritone 

Véronique, his wife mezzo-soprano 

Laurette, their daughter soprano 

Capitaine Silvio tenor 

In Bizet’s first opera, a charming farce in one act, a 

resourceful army captain dons multiple disguises to 

infiltrate the household of the young woman he is 

in love with. Written for a competition sponsored by 

Offenbach, Doctor Miracle garnered its composer a joint 

first prize. While some elements are familiar operatic 

types – forbidding parents, a phony doctor – others 

are less conventional, such as an omelette that might 

or might not be poisoned. Musically, echoes of Rossini 

and Donizetti demonstrate that, at eighteen, Bizet had 

already mastered the comic style. 

55 minutes 

Bakxai 

(The Bacchae) 

John Buller 


3fl (2&3/picc), 3ob (3/ca), 3cl, 2bsn, cbsn, 4 hn, 3 tpt, 3tbn, 

4perc, hp, cel, 15vl, 10vla, 7vlc, 5cb 

Dionysus tenor 

Teiresias bass 

Cadmus baritone 

Pentheus tenor 

Guard baritone 

Herdsman/1st messenger baritone 

Servant to Pentheus/2nd messenger tenor 

Agave mezzo-soprano 

Chorus of Asian Bacchae: 6 soprano, 3 mezzo-soprano 

6 dancers/actors to lead movement 

Drawn from Euripides’ tragedy of the same name, 

Bakxai tells the story of the god Dionysus’ arrival in 

Thebes disguised as ‘the Stranger’ and his subsequent 

conflict with the city’s ruler. King Pentheus refuses 

to accept Dionysus’ godhood, but his attack on the 

Stranger and his followers (the titular Bakxai) leads 

to the god wreaking his revenge. Much of the text 

of this music drama is the original Greek, condensed 

and transliterated by the composer, though English 

(translated by William Arrowsmith) is also used to 

highlight important points of narration. 

130 minutes 

Clive Barda 

12

A Better Place 

Martin Butler 


fl (+picc), ob, 2 cl (II+bcl), bsn, 2 hn, perc, vln, 2 vla, vc, db 

Suzanne mezzo-soprano 

Karen soprano 

Michael baritone 

Siward tenor 

With a libretto by Cindy Oswin, this one-act chamber 

opera follows the emotional journey of the middleclass, 

middle-aged Suzanne when she invites two 

refugees to live with her in her new house. Initially 

using charity as a salve to her own conscience, she 

soon finds herself learning from her guests and moving 

through loss towards acceptance; while the ghost of a 

former resident of her apartment also tells his story. The 

percussion-rich accompanying ensemble creates a vivid 

sense of the house’s location on the bank of the Thames 

as a backdrop to the narrative. 

50 minutes 

The Sirens’ Song 


fl, ob, cl, tpt, tbn, perc, pno, vln, vc, db, pre-recorded tape 

Odysseus baritone 

Circe soprano 

male chorus 

This one-act chamber opera draws on the story of 

Odysseus’ journey home from the Trojan War. In the first 

scene Odysseus is warned of approaching danger by the 

goddess Circe; the second scene is a kind of static frieze, 

in which the male voices of Odysseus and his sailors are 

interwoven with the haunting singing of the Sirens (a 

pre-recorded and electronically modified female voice). 

Libretto by Charles Butler. 

20 minutes 

Craig’s Progress 


2 fl (I&II+picc), 2 ob (II+ca), 2 cl (I&II+bcl), 2 bsn, 

2 hn, pno (4 hands), perc (played by instrumentalists) 

Comic-Book Hero, Reindeer ‘Donder’, 

Bartender ‘Rheingold’, Astronaut God ‘Donnerpeace’, 

Post-Comic Man baritone 

Cheryl the Comic-Book Heroine, Executive Aphrodite, 

Elisabeth Earth, Reindeer ‘Dancer’, Bartender ‘Pabst’, 

Astronaut Goddess ‘Freiapeace’, Post-Comic Woman 

soprano 

Craig’s Boss, Comic-Book Superhero, Elevator Boy, 

Executive Hermes, Ice Cream Vendor, 

Space Cadet ‘Quicksilver’, The Planet Mars, 

Sandwichboard Newsboy, Reindeer ‘Blitzen’, 

Bartender ‘Blatz’, Astronaut God ‘Frohpeace’, 

Post-Comic Craig tenor 

The Other Woman, Comic-Book Superheroine, 

Executive Artemis, Gingerbread Witch, Astral Artemis, 

The Planet Venus, Reindeer ‘Dasher’, 

Bartender ‘Schlitz’; Astronaut Goddess ‘Frickapeace’, 

Post-Comic Cheryl mezzo-soprano 

Voice of the Statue of Prometheus, 

Comic-Book Archenemy, Executive Zeus, Fiery Stoker, 

Cold Genius, Polar Poseidon, Space Captain, 

The Titan Ouranos, Santa Claus, Art Deco Prometheus 

bass 

Conceived as a modern-day opera buffa, Craig’s Progress 

follows its titular protagonist’s journey from naivety to 

wisdom, from comic-book character to real person. Five 

singers perform forty-nine roles as diverse as reindeer, 

bartenders, gods and planets; including an Ice Cream 

Vendor, a Gingerbread Witch and the Fiery Stoker. 

Straddling the worlds of opera and comic-book fantasy, 

Stephen Pruslin’s libretto makes Craig’s Progress both 

accessible and humorous. 

105 minutes 

Opera Butler 

13

Opera Crosse 

Gordon Crosse 

The Grace of Todd 


fl (+picc), ob (+ca), 2 cl, bn, hn, tpt, 

tbn (+btbn), 2 perc, hp, pno(+cel+org), str quintet and 

3 pre-recorded sound-effects tapes 

2/Lt Pratt high tenor 

L/Cpl Shard baritone 

Pte Todd tenor or high baritone 

Pte Bowring tenor 

Pte Furlong baritone 

Pte Millichip bass 

The Lady soprano/mezzo-soprano 

Bowring’s Girl soprano 

Furlong’s Girl soprano 

Millichip’s Girl contralto 

A comedy in three scenes with an original libretto by 

David Rudkin. The opera follows the National Service of 

Private Todd, the odd one out in his troop. After failing 

at the day’s exercises, Todd is left alone in a mysterious 

wood where the vision of a lovely lady comes to him. 

Unlike the others, she is enchanted by his clownish 

faces. From then onwards, even though the others in his 

troop mock and tease him, Todd has found his ‘Grace’, 

and he is free. 

75 minutes 

Potter Thompson 


cl, hn in F, vc solo, perc, hp, 2 kbd/cel parts, 

noise orchestra 

Potter Thompson tenor 

chorus of children (or children and adults) 

With a text by award-winning novelist Alan Garner, 

Potter Thompson is a musical drama in one act based 

on the legend of an ordinary man who discovers the 

secret resting place of King Arthur, but fails to wake 

the Sleeping Hero. In consequence of his fear, once he 

has fled Potter is never again able to relocate the secret 

entrance. Scored for tenor soloist, chorus of children 

(or children and adults), instrumental ensemble and 

‘noise orchestra’ made up of small instruments, some 

hand-made. 

90 minutes 

Purgatory 


fl/picc, 2cl (2/bcl), bsn, hn, tpt, tbn, 2perc, pf/cel, hp, vl, vla, vlc, 

cb 

A Boy tenor 

An Old Man baritone 

wordless ssa chorus 

Setting virtually all the text of W. B. Yeats’s play of 

the same name, Purgatory is a one-act opera for two 

soloists, wordless chorus, and chamber orchestra. The 

story, influenced by Japanese Noh theatre, tells of the 

decline and fall of a formerly prosperous family through 

two symbolic characters, the Boy and the Old Man. The 

haunting implication of the narrative is that troubled 

spirits may never be laid to rest. A German translation 

by Ernst Roth is available in the vocal score. 

40 minutes 

14

The Story of Vasco 


3 fl (+picc), 3 ob (III+ca), 3 cl, 3 bsn, 4 hn, 3 tpt, 3 tbn, tba, timp, 

3 perc, hp, pno/cel, cimbalom, str 

Lieutenant September bass 

Caesar tenor 

Marguerite soprano 

Vasco tenor 

The Mirador bass/baritone 

Major Braun baritone 

Lieutenant Barberis tenor 

Rondo tenor 

Troppo bass 

Monsieur Corfan bass 

A Widow contralto 

Aide-de-camp tenor 

Lieutenant Hans baritone 

Lieutenant Latour tenor 

Sergeant Caquot bass 

Sergeant Paraz tenor 

Sergeant Alexander baritone 

Chorus 

With a libretto based on Ted Hughes’s English version 

of the play Histoire de Vasco by Georges Schehadé, The 

Story of Vasco follows the journey of its titular character 

from faint-hearted barber to war hero. Set in the midnineteenth 

century during an unspecified war, this 

opera in three acts is part fairy tale, part comedy, but 

also carries more serious background commentary on 

the futility of war and the illusory nature of glory. 

135 minutes 

Shameful Vice 

Michael Finnissy 


2 cl, 2 tpt, gtr, hp, 2 vln, db, 6 voices 

Tchaikovsky bass 

2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, tenor and baritone 

performing several roles each 

This short opera, commissioned by Vocem Electric 

Voice Theatre and Endymion Ensemble, is based on 

real events in the later life of Tchaikovsky. Most of the 

text is drawn from letters, diaries and contemporary 

documentation, and its fourteen scenes are formed as 

a parody of the Stations of the Cross. Scenes 2 to 9 are in 

flashback, and scene 14 is imaginary, based on Sleeping 

Beauty. 

40 minutes 

"It is an elegant, economical piece, full of 

captivating musical moments.. its main success 

lies in the fact that the toy-theatre delicacy of 

the drama is exactly matched by the miniaturist 

precision of the music" 

Thérèse Raquin 


pno 

Thérèse Raquin counter-tenor 

Camille counter-tenor 

Madame Raquin baritone 

Laurent baritone 

The libretto, written by the composer himself, is drawn 

from Émile Zola’s novel. This compact chamber opera 

tells the story of lust, madness and destruction. The 

young Thérèse Raquin is married off to her sickly 

cousin Camille. However, she falls in love with his friend 

Laurent. The drama unfolds as the couple’s passion leads 

them ultimately to violence and murder. 

80 minutes 


Opera Crosse – Finnissy 

15

Opera Gay – Handel 

ed. Jeremy Barlow 

John Gay 

The Beggar’s Opera 


fl, 2 ob, hp, kbd, str 

Polly mezzo-soprano 

Lucy mezzo-soprano 

Macheath, a famous highwayman high baritone 

Peachum, head of the beggars and father of Polly bass 

Lockit, police chief and father of Lucy bass baritone 

Male and female chorus 

In this eighteenth-century ballad opera, a famous 

highwayman is pursued by his competing lovers 

and must elude pursuit by both the local jailer and 

his former associates in illegal business. The story 

satirises attitudes to poverty and injustice, and pillories 

corruption at all levels of society, while the format of 

ballad opera itself parodies the genre of Italian opera. 

This scholarly performing edition restores the music 

to its original eighteenth-century state, reconstructing 

the scoring of the songs from the evidence of surviving 

ballad-opera material from the period. The flexible 

arrangements allow for successful performance by a 

wide variety of groups from professional to amateur. 

60 minutes 

George Frideric Handel 

ed. Anthony Lewis 

Athalia 


2 fl (or rec), 2 ob, 2 bsn, 2 hn, 2 tpt, timp, cont, str 

Athalia, Baalite Queen of Judah and daughter of Ahab 

and Jezebel soprano 

Josabeth, wife of Joad soprano 

Joas, King of Judah boy soprano 

Joad, High Priest alto 

Mathan, Priest of Baal, formerly a Jewish priest tenor 

Abner, Captain of the Jewish Forces bass 

Chorus of Young Virgins, Chorus of Israelites, 

Chorus of Priests and Levites, Chorus of Attendants, 

Chorus of Sidonian Priests 

Based on biblical events, Athalia tells the story of the 

overthrow of a usurping monarch. Queen Athalia 

believes that she has ended the line of Jewish kings by 

murdering all possible heirs, but unknown to her the 

High Priest of the Jews has rescued the last descendant 

and raised him as his own son. When the boy’s identity 

is revealed, the Queen’s soldiers desert her. Handel’s 

music is set to a libretto by Samuel Humphreys, itself 

inspired by Jean Racine’s play Athalie. 

120 minutes 

ed. Anthony Lewis 

Imeneo 


2 ob, bsn, cont, str 

Imeneo bass 

Tirinto mezzo-soprano 

Rosmene soprano 

Clomiri soprano 

Argenio bass 

This early Handel opera is based on the legend of 

Hymen, Greek god of marriage. The titular hero rescues 

a group of women – including Rosmene, whom he loves 

– from a band of pirates; subsequently Rosmene must 

choose whether to marry for love or for duty. Composed 

in 1738, the opera has seen more than its share of 

rearrangements to its plot and music, and therefore 

benefits from this scholarly edition by Anthony Lewis, 

presented with both the original Italian text and English 

translation by Brian Trowell with Nigel Fortune. 

110 minutes 

16

ed. Winton Dean and Sarah Fuller 

Julius Caesar 

(Giulio Cesare in Egitto) 


2 fl, 2 ob, bsn, 4 hn, viola da gamba, teorba, hp, 

str (vln I, vln II, vln III, vla, basso) 

Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar) alto 

Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt soprano 

Tolomeo, her brother, King of Egypt alto 

Cornelia, widow of Pompey alto 

Sesto, her stepson soprano 

Achilla, Tolomeo’s general bass 

Curio, a praetor, Caesar’s general bass 

Nireno, Cleopatra and Tolomeo’s servant alto 

satb chorus (opt) 

After Tolomeo, King of Egypt, presents the head 

of Pompey to Giulio Cesare as a token of support, 

Pompey’s widow and son vow to avenge him. Cleopatra 

joins them, intending to use their plans as a lever to 

overthrow her brother; she succeeds, and the opera 

ends with Cesare – who has fallen in love with her – 

making her Queen of Egypt. This scholarly and modern 

edition of Handel’s high-energy and pugnacious opera 

is presented with English translation by Brian Trowell, in 

addition to the original Italian text. 

180 minutes 

ed. Anthony Lewis and Charles Mackerras 

Semele 


2 ob, 2 hn, 2 tpt, timp, cont, str 

Jupiter tenor 

Cadmus, King of Thebes bass 

Semele, daughter to Cadmus soprano 

Athamas, a prince of Bœotia alto 

Ino, sister to Semele mezzo-soprano 

Somnus bass 

Apollo tenor 

Juno mezzo-soprano 

Iris soprano 

High Priest bass 

Chorus of priests, augurs, loves, zephyrs, nymphs, 

swains and attendants 

With a libretto taken from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, 

Semele tells the story of a mortal princess taken as 

a lover by the god Jupiter. When Jupiter’s wife Juno 

discovers the affair, she plots revenge. Though she 

succeeds, the god Bacchus is born to Jupiter and 

Semele. It was described by its composer as a musical 

drama ‘after the manner of an oratorio’. This edition is 

based on the autograph manuscript and conducting 

score, and includes historically informed suggestions 

for vocal ornamentation in addition to other practical 

performance markings. 

180 minutes 

Opera Handel 

17

Opera Harper 

Fanny Robin 

Edward Harper 


fl, cl, hn, tpt, 1perc, str (4.2.2.1) 

Major Roles 

Fanny Robin soprano 

Sergeant Troy baritone 

Presenter/Narrator spoken 

Minor Roles (sung by chorus members) 

Two Bandsmen baritones, The Maltster bass, 

Joseph Poorgrass spoken, Billy Smallbury spoken, 

Curate spoken, Parish Clerk spoken, 

Clerk’s Wife spoken, A Bride soprano 

Developed from a sub-plot in Hardy’s Far from the 

Madding Crowd, this one-act chamber opera depicts 

the seduction and ultimate abandonment of the titular 

character by a handsome military man. When the day 

of their wedding arrives, Fanny mistakenly goes to the 

wrong church. Humiliated, Sergeant Troy tells her that 

he no longer wishes to marry her, to which she laments 

her fate. Musically it incorporates metrical psalmody 

and traditional English folk songs, and also quotes 

fragments of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, which suggests 

that Fanny shares the same woeful fate as Dido. The 

libretto is the composer’s own. 

30 minutes 

"Harper's music is couched in the post avant-garde 

world, but is distinguished by a soft melodic touch" 

- Music Week - 

Hedda Gabler 


2 fl (II+picc), 2 ob (II+ca), 2 cl (II+bcl), alto sax, 2 bsn (II+cbn), 

4 hn, 3 tpt, 3 tbn, btbn, tba, timp, 2 perc, pno, str 

(nb leader needs a second violin tuned down) 

Hedda Gabler soprano 

Ejlert Løvborg tenor 

Jørgen Tesman baritone 

Thea Elvsted mezzo-soprano 

Judge Brack bass 

Mademoiselle Danielle soprano 

This operatic adaptation of Ibsen’s play tells the story 

of a loveless marriage and rival academics. Newly 

married Hedda is bored, and when her return from 

honeymoon brings her back into contact with a former 

lover, tragedy ensues. The libretto is taken from Michael 

Meyer’s translation of Ibsen’s text, and – aside from the 

introduction of Hedda and Løvberg’s duet, and a party 

scene – the play is presented as written. 

116 minutes 

The Mellstock Quire 


fl/picc, cl,hn, tba/serpent (opt), 1 perc, tape, solo vln, str 

(4.0.2.2.1) 

Fancy Day soprano 

Richard Dewy at 60 bass 

Richard ‘Dick’ Dewy at 20 bass 

Reuben Dewy, Dick’s father bass 

William Dewy, Dick’s grandfather bass 

Parson Maybold tenor 

Farmer Shiner bass 

Michael Mail bass 

Robert Penny bass 

Elias Spinks bass 

Joseph Bowman bass 

Thomas Leaf treble 

Jemmy and Will trebles 

Ann and Abigail, Reuben’s and Robert’s wives spoken 

Jane, Parson Maybold’s maid s 

small chorus 

With a libretto based on episodes from Thomas Hardy’s 

novel, Under the Greenwood Tree, The Mellstock Quire 

gives a delightfully spirited insight into the affairs of the 

folk of Mellstock as the romance between young Dick 

Dewy and local schoolmistress Fancy Day progresses 

75 minutes 

18

Alun Hoddinott 

The Beach of Falesá 


2 fl, 2 ob, 2 cl (+bcl), 2 bsn, 4 hn, 2 tpt, 3 tbn, tba, 

timp, 4 perc, hp, str 

Schooner Captain tenor 

John Wiltshire baritone 

Apia silent 

Case baritone 

Black Jack bass 

Captain Randall tenor 

Uma mezzo-soprano 

Fa’avao contralto 

Father Galuchet tenor 

Maea tenor 

With a libretto by Glyn Jones, based on the short story 

of the same name by R. L. Stevenson, The Beach of Falesá 

tells the story of John Wiltshire, a Scottish trader, on the 

fictional South Sea island of Falesá. In an apparently 

friendly gesture, another European trader named Case 

arranges for Wiltshire to be married to a native girl, 

Uma – but while Wiltshire and Uma genuinely fall in 

love, it soon becomes clear that Case’s motives are far 

from benevolent. Though Wiltshire overcomes his rival, 

his relationship with Uma causes him to question the 

attitudes of his era. 

125 minutes 

The Magician 


fl (+picc), ob, cl, bsn, hn, tpt, tbn, timp, perc, pno, str 

Sesto, the Magician baritone 

Adriana, his wife soprano 

Angelo, his assistant tenor 

This one-act opera with libretto by John Morgan was 

originally commissioned by Harlech TV, and was first 

broadcast as Murder, the Musician in 1976. Hoddinott 

later reworked the piece for stage. The story tells of an 

ageing magician who discovers that his much younger 

wife is in love with his assistant. Fuelled by jealousy, he 

plots his revenge and tricks Angelo to his own death. 

35 minutes 

The Trumpet Major 


3 fl (III+picc), 2 ob, bcl, 2 cbsn, 4 hn, 2 tpt, 3 tbn, 

timp, 3 perc, hp, pno/cel, str 

Anne Garland soprano 

Martha Garland mezzo-soprano 

John Loveday, the Trumpet Major baritone 

Robert Loveday tenor 

Miller Loveday baritone 

Matilda Johnson soprano 

Festus Derriman baritone 

Cripplestraw tenor 

Corporal Tullidge tenor 

Tremlett baritone 

Sergeant Stanner tenor 

David tenor 

A Soldier baritone 

The Press Gang 2 tenors, 8 baritones 

Based on Hardy’s novel of the same name, The 

Trumpet Major depicts the pursuit of a young woman 

by three different lovers, set against the backdrop 

of the Napoleonic wars. While the various romantic 

entanglements are eventually resolved, the ultimate 

outlook is bleak for the titular character. Throughout 

the three acts, that are divided into sixteen scenes and 

artfully woven together with characterful instrumental 

interludes, Myfanwy Piper's libretto closely follows the 

original plot, helping a complex romantic story flow 

with ease. 

140 minutes 

The Trumpet Major - Royal Northern College of Music, 1981 

RNCM Archives 

Opera Hoddinott 

19

Opera Larsen 

Barnum’s Bird 

Libby Larsen 


fl, vln, vla, vc, pno, perc 

Jenny Lind soprano 

P. T. Barnum tenor 

Belletti baritone 

Tom Thumb mezzo-soprano 

Singers (with movement) 2 soprano, 2 alto, 2 tenor, 2 bass 

In the composer’s own words, Barnum’s Bird is the story 

of art: in service of humanity on the one hand, and in 

service of commerce on the other. Inspired by a letter 

from famed Swedish soprano Jenny Lind to Harriet 

Beecher Stowe, it relates the story of Lind’s 1850–51 

American concert tour, and her partnership with the 

showman P. T. Barnum, and explores the ways in which 

art and its marketing intersect. Musically, it incorporates 

authentic European and American music of the mid- 

1800s, creating a unique score that will appeal to a wide 

variety of listeners. 

90 minutes 

Dreaming Blue 


fl (+picc), ob, cl, bsn, 2 tpt, 2 perc, timp, hp, pno, str, drumming 

group and cd recording 

The Child child actor with strong speaking/movement 

capabilities 

Voice of the Child tenor 

Baby Blue coloratura soprano 

Azul mezzo-soprano 

Blue Weirdo bass baritone 

Mayor/Judge spoken 

Children’s Chorus ssa 

Rhythm Chorus children 

Written in 2002, Dreaming Blue is the story of a child 

brought by family into a new culture. Unable to speak 

the language and not yet able to identify with the 

surroundings, this child is lonely – just plain lonely and 

just plain blue. Faced with the need to find a new way 

of feeling anchored, the child responds creatively to life. 

The opera began with the words and images of a group 

of students from Mountain View Elementary School. The 

children were asked to imagine being their favourite 

colour, and it was out of their writings and drawings 

that the characters of the opera emerged. 

60 minutes 

Dreaming Blue - Opera Bergen, 2007 

Opera Bergen 

20

Eric Hermannson’s Soul 


fl, ob, cl, bsn, hn, 2 perc, pno, str 

Eric Hermannson tenor 

Margaret Elliot soprano 

Wyllis Elliot baritone 

Asa Skinner tenor 

Lena Hanson mezzo-soprano 

Jerry Lockhart bass 

Eric’s mother mezzo-soprano 

Minna Oleson dancer 

The Frenchman baritone/dancer 

Quartet of soloists 

Chorus and dancers: members of the congregation, 

townspeople. 

An opera in two acts with a libretto by Chas Rader- 

Schieber after the short story by American writer Willa 

Cather. This opera draws on ideas of the individual as 

an outsider in his own community, the struggle to find 

a sense of self, and the importance of selfless love. Its 

protagonist, a young Norwegian with a deep love for 

music, is converted to Free Gospellism and vows to 

give up his violin and dancing to devote his life to Free 

Gospel teachings. However, when he falls in love, he 

learns that love is a greater truth than fear. 

105 minutes 

The Servants 

William Mathias 


3 fl (III+picc), 2 ob, 2 cl, 2 bsn, cbn, 4 hn, 3 tpt, 

3 tbn, tba, timp, 3 perc, pno (+cel), hp, str, vln solo (offstage) 

Peter Jack, a servant bailiff baritone 

Basil, a landowner tenor 

Oriane, his wife soprano 

Hans Joseph, an old retainer bass 

Father Ambrose, a priest bass 

Marina, daughter-in-law of Hans Joseph 

and betrothed to Peter Jack mezzo-soprano 

Mikey, a boy servant silent 

Patrice, a gypsy bass baritone 

Maxim, son of Marina and grandson 

of Hans Joseph tenor 

General Klein, brother of Oriane bass baritone 

(role doubled with Patrice) 

Chorus of servants 

The Servants was the only opera written by William 

Mathias. It was commissioned by Welsh National 

Opera, and is based on the play The Servants and 

the Snow written by the librettist Iris Murdoch. The 

work highlights the relationship between Basil, the 

landowner, and his servants. Basil intends to run the 

estate doing away with outdated traditions including 

the droit du seigneur. However, these gestures are 

seen by his staff as a sign of feudal weakness. The 

opera explores themes similar to those of Mozart’s The 

Marriage of Figaro. 

135 minutes 

The Servants - Welsh National Opera, 1980 

WNO Archives 

Opera Larsen – Mathias 

21

Opera Mussorgsky – Purcell 

22 

Modest Mussorgsky 


Boris Godunov 


3 fl (III+picc), 2 ob (II+ca), 2 cl, 2 bsn, 4 hn, 2 tpt, 3 tbn, tba, 

timp, perc (bd, sd, cym, tamb, tam), hp, pno duet, str; 

tpt in F (offstage) 

Boris Godunov baritone or bass 

Xenia, his daughter soprano 

Fyodor, his son mezzo-soprano 

Pretender known as Grigory tenor 

Pimen, hermit, chronicler bass 

Prince Vasily Ivanovich Shuysky tenor 

Andrey Shchelkalov baritone 

Varlaam, tramp bass 

Missail, tramp tenor 

Marina Mniszek, daughter of the Sandomierz 

commander mezzo- or dramatic soprano 

Rangoni, covert Jesuit bass 

Innkeeper mezzo-soprano 

Yurodivïy, ‘Fool-in-God’ tenor 

Xenia’s nurse mezzo-soprano 

Nikitich bass 

Mityukha bass 

Boyar-in-attendance tenor 

Boyar Khrushchyov tenor 

Lewicki Jesuit bass 

Czernikowski Jesuit bass 

Voices from the crowd peasants tenor, soprano, 

mezzo-soprano 

Chorus 

An opera in seven scenes, or a prologue and four acts, 

by Mussorgsky to his own libretto, adapted from the 

historical tragedy by Pushkin. The story follows the 

ascent to the throne and subsequent death of the 

formidable tsar. This edition brings together the initial 

version of 1869 with the final version of 1874, and 

includes detailed notes identifying the source scores. 

The current edition of the vocal score, derived from 

materials edited by musicologist Paul Lamm, is available 

with text underlay including the original Russian Cyrillic, 

Russian transliteration, as well as an English translation 

by David Lloyd-Jones. 

200 minutes 

Henry Purcell 

ed. Edward Dent and Ellen Harris 

Dido and Aeneas 

Vocal score 9780193378650 


Chorus score 9780193869431 

str, kbd cont, gtr (opt) 

Dido soprano 

Belinda soprano 

Second Woman mezzo-soprano 

Sorceress mezzo-soprano 

First Witch soprano 

Second Witch soprano 

Spirit soprano 

Aeneas tenor or high baritone 

First Sailor tenor 

Chorus 

Dido and Aeneas is a tragic opera in three acts by Henry 

Purcell setting a libretto by Nahum Tate after the same 

poet’s play Brutus of Alba and Virgil’s Aeneid. The opera 

tells the story of the love of Dido for Aeneas, the Trojan 

prince. However, after the interference of the Sorceress 

with her coven of witches, Aeneas must abandon love 

for duty and Dido dies of despair. This version is based 

on Edward Dent’s 1925 edition of the opera, but also 

includes more recent scholarship, English and German 

texts, and presents a history of the work in the preface. 

60 minutes

Robert Sherlaw Johnson 

The Lambton Worm 


fl/picc, 2ob, 2cl (1/eb, 2/bcl), 2bn, 2hn, 2tp, 3tbn, tuba, timp, 

1perc, str 

Sir John Lambton baritone 

Ned tenor 

Thomas bass 

Meg mezzo-soprano 

Margery soprano 

Alice contralto 

Lord Lambton bass 

The Lady Ysabel soprano 

The Wise Woman mezzo-soprano 

Peter baritone 

Susan soprano 

Chorus of Villagers 

Based on a medieval folk tale from County Durham, this 

opera tells the story of the young lord of a manor who, 

while out fishing, draws the worm (or dragon) from 

the local river. The creature then begins terrorising his 

people and, as the one who raised it, he must find a 

way to vanquish it. The libretto is written by poet Anne 

Ridler. 

90 minutes 

"The mood is one of Janáček-like bleakness, and 

Sherlaw Johnson's music intensifies the oppressive 

atmosphere" 


Ruddigore 

ed. David Russell Hulme 

Full score 9780193517745 

Vocal score 9780193243521 


2fl (2/picc), on, 2cl, fg, 2hn, 2cnt, 2tbn, tmp/perc, str 

Robin Oakapple baritone 

Richard Dauntless tenor 

Sir Despard Murgatroyd baritone 

Old Adam Goodheart bass 

Rose Maybud soprano 

Mad Margaret mezzo-soprano 

Dame Hannah contralto 

Zorah soprano 

Ruth soprano 

Sir Roberic Murgatroyd baritone 

Chorus 

Chorus of Ancestors tenors and basses 

An operetta in two acts by Arthur Sullivan to a libretto 

by W. S. Gilbert that premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 

22 January 1887 in London. This edition is complete, 

clear and practical as well as being scholarly and 

authoritative. It returns to the primary sources to 

present the music and libretto as presented in the 

original performances. Dame Hannah relates how a 

curse compels each baronet of Ruddigore to commit 

a daily crime. Sir Despard Murgatroyd, having fulfilled 

these obligations, reforms and marries Mad Margaret 

after Robin Oakapple is exposed as the rightful heir to 

the title. Robin is renounced by Rose Maybud, but a 

twist of Gilbertian logic nullifies the curse and all ends 

happily. 

120 minutes 

Arthur Sullivan 

Opera Sherlaw Johnson – Sullivan 

23

Opera Sullivan 

24 

ed. Colin Jagger 

The Yeomen of the Guard 

Full score 9780193413139 

Vocal score 9780193389205 


(wind and brass in standard keys and clefs) 


(wind and brass in original keys and clefs) 

2 fl (II+picc), ob, 2 cl, 2 bsn, 2 hn in F, 2 cor, 

2 tbn (bass clef), btbn, timp/perc, bell, str 

Sir Richard Cholmondeley baritone 

Colonel Fairfax tenor 

Sergeant Meryll bass baritone 

Leonard Meryll tenor 

Jack Point comic baritone 

Wilfred Shadbolt bass baritone 

Elsie Maynard soprano 

Phoebe Meryll mezzo-soprano 

Dame Carruthers contralto 

Kate soprano 

Chorus 

The Yeomen of the Guard is one of the most popular and 

enduring Gilbert and Sullivan Savoy operas. This edition 

is complete, clear and practical as well as being scholarly 

and authoritative. It returns to the primary sources to 

present the music and libretto as performed during 

the original Savoy Theatre run. Falsely accused, Colonel 

Fairfax eludes the headsman through the intervention 

of Sergeant Meryll and his daughter Phoebe. Eventually 

reprieved, Fairfax finds happiness with his new-found 

love, the strolling player Elsie Maynard, but at tragic cost 

to her devoted jester partner Jack Point, whose collapse 

at his rejection is treated with tragic simplicity. 

80 minutes 


The Yeomen of the Guard 

Reduced orchestration 


fl (picc opt), ob, cl, bsn, hn, bell, perc (opt), str (db opt) 

This reorchestration is designed to be both practical and 

flexible. The minimum total number of players is nine, or 

ten if including double-bass (which is recommended for 

balance and fullness of sound), and extra string players 

can be added as desired – the ideal numbers being 

2.2.2.2.1. 

80 minutes 

The Yeomen of the Guard - The Grange Festival, 2022 

Simon Annand

The Lodger 


2 fl (2/picc), 2 ob (2/ca), 2 cl (2/bcl), 2 bn, 4 hn, 2 tpt, 3 tbn, 

timp, 2+perc, pno/pub pno, cel, str 

George Bunting bass 

Emma, his wife mezzo-soprano 

Daisy, their daughter soprano 

The Lodger high baritone 

Joe Chandler, a young police detective tenor 

A Paper Boy soprano or tenor 

A Policeman bass baritone 

Voices in Chorus bass-baritone, baritone, tenor, bass, 

high baritone, baritone, mezzo-soprano 

Chorus of Cockney Revellers 

Based on the novel of the same name by Marie Belloc 

Lowndes, with a libretto by David Franklin, The Lodger 

opens with two retired London servants who have sunk 

their savings into an unsuccessful guesthouse and are 

on the brink of starvation when they are unexpectedly 

rescued by the arrival of a stranger who pays seven 

golden sovereigns in advance to rent a room. However, 

the newspapers are full of the exploits of a savage 

murderer the public has nicknamed ‘Jack the Ripper’, 

and before long a series of terrifying incidents reveals 

the identity of the new lodger as none other than ‘Jack’ 

himself. The work was commissioned by the Royal 

Academy of Music and is suitable for the capabilities 

of student performers. 

150 minutes 

Phyllis Tate 

" ..gripping and continuous intensity . . . with music 

which sets an atmosphere of almost unbearable 

terror and suspense, this opera is a thriller indeed" 

- Daily Mail - 

The What D’ye Call it 


fl (+picc), cl, alto sax, bsn, tpt, tbn, 2 perc, 

hpd/pno/cel (1 player), vln, vla, vc, db 

Speaking Characters (before and after the opera) 

Sir Roger, Sir Humphry and Justice Statute, 

three Justices 

Thomas, son to Sir Roger 

Steward to Sir Roger 

Katherine (Kitty) his daughter 

Jonas Dock 

Dolly 

A Countryman 

Characters in the Opera 

Thomas Filbert, played by Thomas tenor 

Kitty Carrot, played by Katherine soprano 

Timothy Peascod, played by Jonas Dock 

high baritone 

Dorcas, Peascod’s sister, played by Dolly soprano 

Aunt to Filbert mezzo-soprano 

Grandmother to Filbert contralto 

Sir Roger, Sir Humphry and Justice Statute 

bass baritone 

Susan*, friend to Kitty soprano 

Sergeant*, Corporal* and Soldier* bass baritone 

Chorus of Ghosts, Countrymen, Haymakers 

and Soldiers 

* = may be cast from the chorus 

With a libretto adapted from John Gay’s 1715 farce of 

the same name, this tragi-comic opera-within-a-play 

tells the story of a Steward’s daughter who has been 

got ‘into trouble’ by the local young squire. The Steward 

has cunningly devised an entertainment for the squire’s 

father and local dignitaries to mend matters. 

60 minutes 

The Lodger - Stadttheater Bremerhaven, 2018 

Heiko Sandelmann 

Opera Tate 

25

Opera Vaughan Williams 

26 

The Bridal Day 


picc, fl, pno, str; or fl, pno 

The Bridal Day is a masque founded on Edmund 

Spenser’s Epithalamion, an ode to his bride on their 

wedding day. The poem was suggested to Vaughan 

Williams by Ursula Wood, later fhis wife. The masque 

comprises a combination of dances, choruses, solo 

singing and spoken word, with the music reflecting 

the joyful, untroubled nature of the words. Vaughan 

Williams later used the work as the basis for the 

cantata Epithalamion. 

45 minutes 


The First Nowell 

Orchestral version 


2 fl, ob, 2 cl, bsn, 2 hn, 2 tpt, 2 tbn, timp, hp, str 

soprano and baritone soloists; satb chorus 

Vaughan Williams composed this musical ‘nativity play’ 

in the final year of his life, yet it is full of vitality and 

Christmas spirit, recalling his earlier folk-song settings 

in its musical style and lightness of mood. The libretto, 

written by Simona Pakenham, is based on various 

medieval pageants, and the music is founded on 

traditional Christmas tunes. Vaughan Williams’s recasting 

of these familiar melodies are beautifully crafted, 

ranging from gentle expressivity to stirring grandeur in 

tone. The final portion of the work was not finished at 

the composer’s death, so his amanuensis Roy Douglas 

completed the work, based on the existing sketches. A 

reduced forces version, edited by Roy Douglas, is also 

available for piano, organ and strings. 

50 minutes 

The Pilgrim’s Progress 


2 fl (II+picc), 2 ob (II+ca), 2 cl, 2 bsn, cbn (opt), 4 hn, 2 tpt, 

2 tpt onstage (opt), 3 tbn, tba, euph (opt), timp, perc (sd, td, 

bd, cym, gong, tri, xylo, glock, bell), hp, cel (opt), str 

Pilgrim baritone 

John Bunyan bass 

The Interpreter/ A Celestial Messenger tenor 

Watchful, the porter baritone 

Evangelist bass 

Apollyon bass 

A Woodcutter’s Boy soprano 

Mister By-Ends tenor 

Madam By-Ends soprano 

A Heavenly Being contralto 

John Bunyan’s 1678 allegory The Pilgrim’s 

Progress fascinated Vaughan Williams throughout his 

career. He seems to have composed the first sketches 

and ideas for this Morality, as the composer referred 

to it, as early as 1906. He returned to the text several 

times in different forms, but it wasn’t until 1951 that this 

stage work was finally completed. Reflecting its long 

gestation, it encompasses the whole of the composer’s 

stylistic gamut: there is serene lyricism, mystical 

exoticism, turbulence and violence, and noble grandeur. 

It tells the story of Pilgrim, who sets out from his home 

on his journey to the Celestial City. On his way he fights 

the monster Apollyon in the Valley of Humiliation, 

passes through Vanity Fair, meets the Shepherds of the 

Delectable Mountains, and at last crosses the River of 

Death to reach his goal. A German translation of the text 

by Müller-Hartmann, with additions by Genia Horstein is 

also available. 

120 minutes 

The Pilgrim's Progress - Royal Northern College of Music, 2019 

Robert Workman

The Poisoned Kiss 


2 fl (II+picc), ob, ca, 2 cl, bsn, 2 hn, 2 tpt, tbn, timp, 

2 perc (bd, sd, gong, clash cym, tamb, sus cym, tri, xylo), 

hp or pno, str 

Angelica, Tormentilla’s maid and companion soprano 

Gallanthus, the Prince’s attendant baritone 

Hob, Gob and Lob, the Magician’s hobgoblins tenor, 

baritone, bass 

Dipsacus, a Professional Magician bass 

Amaryllus the Prince, son of the Empress tenor 

Tormentilla, the Magician’s daughter soprano 

First, Second and Third Mediums, the Empress’s 

assistants soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto 

Attendant speaking part 

Empress Persicaria, Sovereign in Golden Town and 

Amateur Magician contralto 

Physician speaking part 

Chorus of Day and Night Voices, Hobgoblins, Witches 

and Forest Creatures, Milliners and Message Boys, 

Flower Girls, Lovers 

Also Guards, Attendants, etc. 

Based on the story The Poison Maid by Richard Garnett, 

this fairy-tale romantic extravaganza tells the story of a 

revenge-seeking magician who raises his daughter on 

poisons in order that the first man she kisses will die. 

Unknown to him, the Empress has raised her son – the 

target of the Magician’s plan – on poison antidotes so 

that when the two young people meet and (inevitably) 

fall in love, the kiss is harmless. With lyrics by Evelyn 

Sharp and dialogue by Ursula Vaughan Williams, the 

whimsical story has an ultimately happy ending for 

everyone. 

120 minutes 

"Nowhere else has the composer written lovelier 

songs or soaked the whole texture of his scores in 

more lyrical rhapsody" 

- The Times - 

Riders to the Sea 


2 fl (II+picc), ob, ca, bcl (or cl and bcl), bsn, 2 hn, tpt, timp, bd, 

sea machine, str 

Bartley baritone 

Cathleen soprano 

Maurya contralto 

Nora soprano 

A Woman mezzo-soprano 

This tragic one-act opera, setting J. M. Synge's play 

almost word for word, tells the story of a mother's 

lament for her husband and eventually four sons lost to 

the sea off the Donegal coast. When her last son, Bartley, 

is drowned taking the horses to Galway Fair, Maurya 

finds that, instead of grief, a great peace is found - 'They 

are all gone now, and there isn't anything more the sea 

can do to me'. It is notable for the orchestral portraits 

of the sea and the wind, which ultimately led to the 

Sinfonia Antartica, and many think it Vaughan Williams’s 

finest theatrical work. 

42 minutes 

"An extremely evocative study in half-tones, leading 

up with perfect judgement to a great ritualized 

outburst of sorrow, followed by a final scene of calm 

acceptance." 

- New Statesmen - 


27


28 

Alastair Muir 

The Shepherds of the Delectable 

Mountains 


2 fl, ob, ca, str (min: 2.2.2.2.1; max: 6.6.4.4.2); 

offstage: 2 tpt, hp, 3 bells 

Pilgrim baritone 

First Shepherd baritone 

Second Shepherd tenor 

Third Shepherd bass 

Celestial Messenger tenor 

Voice of a Bird soprano 

This ‘pastoral episode’ was composed as an independent 

stage work in 1922 but was later incorporated into The 

Pilgrim’s Progress (1951) with its final scene omitted. The 

tranquil music reflects the rural setting, with expressive 

solo instrumental lines adorning mellow vocal melodies. 

The work features six solo singing roles, offstage 

women’s chorus, and chamber orchestra. 

23 minutes 

Sir John in Love - British Youth Opera, 2022 


Sir John in Love 

Second edition 


Study score 9780193524682 

2 fl, 2 ob (+ca), 2 cl, 2 bsn, 2 hn, 2 tpt, tbn, timp, perc (rattle, 

bell, cym, sd, bd, tri, tamb, sus cym, glock, xylo), hp, str 

Sir John Falstaff baritone 

Anne Page soprano 

Mistress Page soprano 

Mistress Ford soprano 

Mistress Quickly contralto 

Fenton tenor 

Doctor Caius tenor 

Frank Ford bass 

Robert Shallow tenor or baritone 

Sir Hugh Evans baritone 

Master Slender tenor 

Simple tenor or baritone 

Master George Page baritone 

Bardolph tenor 

Corporal Nym baritone 

Ancient Pistol bass 

Rugby bass 

The Host of the Garter Inn baritone 

Robin non-singing 

John baritone 

Robert baritone 

This four-act comic opera celebrating Shakespeare’s Sir 

John Falstaff was given it first professional performance 

in 1946. The libretto, written by the composer, is based 

on The Merry Wives of Windsor and interpolates texts 

by contemporaries of Shakespeare such as Christopher 

Marlowe, Ben Jonson and Thomas Campion. The work 

contains English folksong material and fine examples 

of the composer’s orchestral lyricism and dramatic 

flair. Music from the opera was later adapted to form 

the cantata In Windsor Forest and the Fantasia on 

Greensleeves. This comprehensive new edition draws 

on all available sources, providing an authoritative 

full score with critical commentary. The performance 

materials are newly engraved. 

125 minutes

ed. Michael Burden 

The Bear 


Full score 9780193384439 


Vocal score 9780193366145 

fl (+picc), ob (+ca), cl, bsn, hn, tpt, tbn, 2 perc, hp, pno, str 

quintet 

or full str 

Yelena Ivanovna Popova mezzo-soprano 

Grigory Stepanovich Smirnov baritone 

Luka bass 

The Cook spoken 

The Groom spoken 

The Bear was commissioned by the Koussevitsky 

Foundation in 1965 and first performed at the 

Aldeburgh Festival in 1967. The opera, based on a short 

story of Chekhov, has a libretto by Paul Dehn. The action 

takes place in the drawing room of Madam Popova’s 

house in the country in 1888. Popova, a pretty widow 

affectedly faithful to the memory of her late and, alas, 

promiscuous, husband is confronted by Smirnov, one 

of her husband’s creditors. They quarrel to a point at 

which each aims a loaded pistol at the other . . . neither 

can fire. They have both fallen helplessly in love. This 

newly engraved edition of the vocal score, with German 

translation by Ernst Roth and piano arrangement by Roy 

Douglas, is fully compatible with the full score and parts 

edited by Michael Burden. 

50 minutes 

The Bear - Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 2016 

adapt. Jonathan Lyness 

The Bear 

Chamber version 


bsn, vln/vla, hp, pno, perc 

This chamber version is sensitively adapted from the 

original score as found in the William Walton Edition. 

The arrangement skilfully preserves the essence of 

Walton’s orchestration while being practical and 

portable. The full score and parts available on hire are 

compatible with the OUP vocal score. 

50 minutes 

K. K. Dundas 

Opera Walton 

29

Opera Walton 

30 

ed. Stuart Hutchinson 

Troilus and Cressida 


3 fl (III+picc + alto fl), 2 ob, ca, 2 cl, bcl, 3 bsn (III+cbn), 

4 hn, 3 tpt, 3 tbn, tba, timp, 4–5 perc, 2 hp, cel, str 

off stage: hn, 4 tpt, perc 

Calkas, High Priest of Pallas bass 

Antenor, Captain of Trojan Spears baritone 

Troilus, Prince of Troy tenor 

Pandarus, brother of Calkas tenor 

Cressida, daughter of Calkas soprano 

Evadne, servant of Cressida mezzo-soprano 

Horaste friend of Pandarus baritone 

Diomede, Prince of Argus baritone 

Woman’s Voice spoken 

Chorus (priests, soldiers, Trojans) 

An opera in three acts, Troilus and Cressida premiered at 

the Royal Opera House, London, in 1954. With libretto 

written by Christopher Hassall based on poetry by 

Geoffrey Chaucer, it is set in the tenth year of the Trojan 

War and opens before the Temple of Pallas. Calkas 

declares that the oracle at Delphi has foretold the defeat 

of Troy, and he defects to the Greeks. Meanwhile, Troilus 

proclaims his love to Cressida, who in return gives him a 

red scarf as a commitment of trust, and eventually love. 

After Troilus and Cressida spend a romantic evening 

together, Greek soldiers appear at the house stating 

that an exchange of prisoners has been arranged. 

Antenor, a Trojan warrior, will be returned to Troy, but 

Cressida must go to the Greeks. The third act begins at 

the Greek camp ten weeks later. Imprisoned, Cressida 

despairs that she has heard nothing from Troilus, whose 

messages are being intercepted by the Greeks. Calkas 

instructs Cressida to accept Diomede as her husband. 

She reluctantly agrees and gives him the red scarf 

as a token of her pledge. Troilus, who has arranged a 

ransom for Cressida, sees Diomede with the red scarf 

and challenges him. They fight, and as Troilus is about 

to overpower Diomede, Calkas stabs Troilus in the back. 

He dies in Cressida’s arms. Left alone, Cressida hides 

Troilus’ sword, and as the Greeks come to take her away, 

she pledges her loyalty to Troilus one last time – and 

stabs herself. A German translation by Ernst Roth and an 

Italian translation by Eugenio Montale is available in the 

vocal score. 

135 minutes 

ed. John Gibbons 

Troilus and Cressida 

Reduced version 


2 fl (II+picc), 2 ob (II+ca), 2 cl (II+bcl), 2 bsn (II+cbn), 3 hn, 

2 tpt, 2 tbn, tba, timp, 3 perc (sd, td, tamb, tri, cym, sus cym, 

gong, bd, glock, xylo, vibr, tub bell), cel, hp, str 

135 minutes 

"...powerfully presented as an opera for the central 

repertory, traditional in its red-blooded treatment of 

a big classical subject, with the composer revelling 

in big, tonal melodies presented with many frissonmaking 

modulations." 

- Gramaphone -

Zhou Long 

Madame White Snake 


Study score 9780193411371 

Vocal score 9780193412835 

Chinese fl, fl (+picc), ob, 2 cl (II+bcl), 2 bsn (II+cbsn), 2 hn, 

2 tpt, btbn, timp, 2 perc, hp, erhu, str 

Madame White Snake soprano 

Xiao Qing male soprano 

Xu Xian tenor 

Abbot (Fahai) of the Golden Mountain Monastery bass 

Chorus 

Children’s Choir 

This opera in four acts is based on an ancient Chinese 

myth about a snake-shaped spirit that attains human 

form to experience love. The English libretto by Cerise 

Lim Jacobs sensitively adapts the story for modern 

audiences, and Zhou Long’s music uses both Western 

and Chinese sounds to create a pioneering crosscultural 

opera. Zhou Long was awarded the 2011 

Pulitzer Prize for Music for Madame White Snake, and the 

Pulitzer jury described the work as ‘a deeply expressive 

opera that draws on a Chinese folk tale to blend the 

musical traditions of the East and the West’. 

100 minutes 

Madame White Snake - Opera Boston, 2016 

James Matthew Daniel 

Opera Zhou Long 

31

Musical Dramas for Young People Arch – Arnold 

32 

Gwyn Arch 

The Runaway Zoo 


desc+tr rec, perc (tamb, xylo, glock, wblk, alto xylo, Indian 

bells, tambour), vlns and vc/gtr 

also pno and voices (for 3 opt instrumental interludes) 

Narrator 

Lion, Bear, Chimpanzee, Kangaroo, Rabbit, Zebra 

Choir, Chorus of Speakers 

This musical play for children aged 7–9 is a charming 

composition suitable for classroom performances. It 

includes speaking parts for narrator and six named 

animals, and a supporting chorus of animals. The 

instrumental parts, including three optional interludes, 

are accessible to developing players. The Runaway Zoo 

can be performed with or without scenery, staging and 

costumes. 

15 minutes 

ed. Kenneth J. Eade 

Samuel Arnold 

School and Crossbones 

or, He didn’t mean to go to sea 


str orch, pno 

separate parts for recorders also available 

Dame Charlotte Crammer, Headmistress of Parklands 

Academy for Young Ladies 

Young ladies at the Academy: Jane Truelove, 

Lydia O'Leary, Isbella Everest, Marianne Malapert, 

Penny Ffoulkes-Warren, Harriet Vapours 

Chorus of Young Ladies 

Nancy Trip, maid at the Academy 

Joseph Seeds, odd-job man at the Academy 

Captain Roger Horatio Gore, of The Lame Duck 

A Chorus of Pirates 

The Entire Police Force of Littleport 

Adapted by Kenneth J. Eade and Gordon E. Hemmings 

from the 1784 comic opera Two for One, School and 

Crossbones features a mixture of songs retained from 

the original work and rearranged numbers with new 

lyrics. The action opens in the dormitory of a ladies’ 

boarding school, but it is soon revealed that one of the 

girls is pining for her pirate suitor, and the light-hearted 

plot unfolds as he arrives to persuade her to elope. 

70 minutes

It’s a Small War 

David Blake 


2 pn, 2 perc (cym, BD, SD, w blk, tri, tom, whip) (opt) 

Jane Martin, the acknowledged leader 

of the Phili-i-fi Street children 

Sally, her long-suffering friend 

Deirdre, a mixed-up teenager 

Dennis, a boy of delinquent tendencies 

Dudley,* a backward child 

Miss Biggs, village schoolmistress and billeting officer 

Major Potts, a retired army officer 

Richard, his nephew spoken 

Miss Fazakerly, an elderly and eccentric lady 

Sidney, the village postman 

Percy, the station porter 

Fred, Dennis’s dispreputable cousin 

The Old ’Un, Fred’s associate 

Mr Murgatroyd, the Area Billeting Officer 

Stan,* Terry,* Wilfred,* Hector,* Edna, village children 

Mrs Edwards, Dudley’s mum spoken 

Chorus of Evacuees* 

* treble voices 

This jazz-influenced musical for young people follows 

the story of a group of wartime evacuees from 

‘Phili-i-fi Street’. They encounter a variety of challenges 

and colourful characters as they adapt to their new 

country homes, but the ultimate outlook of the story is 

one of optimism. Of the solo roles, Jane, Sally and Miss 

Fazakerly require the greatest vocal development; while 

a strong sense of style is also needed from Deirdre, 

Dennis and Fred. 

110 minutes 

Birdland - Oxford Playhouse, 2022 

Birdland 

Bob Chilcott 

Vocal score 9780193523005 


fl, 2cl, hn, tpt, ten tbn, perc (2 players), bass gtr, pno 

Pip, a sparrow 

Highnote, the Head Bird 

Solo Birds 1–4 

Solo Doc Rock Peacocks 1–5 

Wit (Owl 1) 

Woo (Owl 2) 

Croakencaw, the Head of the Bewilderness 

Shamira, the Golden Nightingale 

Unison Chorus Birds 

satb Chorus Birds 

All parts can be taken by a high treble voice. 

The parts of Highnote and Croakencaw can be taken 

by a high treble voice or a broken male voice. 

This engaging musical drama follows the quest of Pip 

the Sparrow to be accepted into the Dawn Chorus. 

Featuring a colourful cast of characters, including 

the Doc Rock Peacocks and Shamira the Golden 

Nightingale, it also provides great dramatic potential 

for the unison and mixed choruses. Exploring themes of 

identity, inclusivity and self-belief, Birdland draws on a 

broad range of musical styles and is complemented by 

an accompaniment for 10-part instrumental ensemble. 

45 minutes 

Andrew Walmsley 

Musical Dramas for Young People Blake – Chilcott 

33

Musical Dramas for Young People Crosse – Grant 

34 

Holly from the Bongs 


Vocal material on hire 9780193356528 

tpt, perc, pno, org, 2 vln, vla, vc 

Singing parts: 1st, 2nd and 3rd Shepherd, Mary, 

Johnny Doubt, the Golishan, the Doctor, Beelzebub 

Spoken parts: Joseph, Bolbendo 

Silent parts: The Three Magi 

Chorus parts: 

1) offstage chorus 

2) small ad lib. group of Mummers, who also play 

percussion instruments 

3) ‘modern children’ in 3 groups 

With a text by Alan Garner based on his play of the same 

name, Holly from the Bongs transposes the traditional 

Christmas story to Cheshire, England. Garner’s play 

was performed originally by the children of Goostrey, 

and ‘The Bongs’ is a wood at the back of Goostrey 

school. Words and phrases of Cheshire dialect are used 

throughout the play, though (with appropriate care paid 

to the music), these could be substituted for parts of an 

alternative local dialect. 

30 minutes 

Gordon Crosse 

The Demon of Adachigahara 


3 fl, 2 ob, 3 cl, 3 bsn, 4 hn, 3 tpt, 3 tbn, tba, timp, perc, pno, str 

Yamato, a young Japanese boy 

The Demon, also disguised as the Old Woman 

Grass 15–20 dancers 

Demon’s Victims 6–10 dancers 

The Sun 

Thorn Bush (optional) 

Junior choir, narrator, and optional mime 

This cantata for children’s chorus, narrator and full 

orchestra is set to a text by Ted Hughes. Based on a 

Japanese folk tale, the story is a cautionary narrative 

and concerns a lone pilgrim who encounters a cannibal 

demon disguised as an old woman. This flexible work 

can be performed in various versions. 

30 minutes 

John Gardner 

Bel and the Dragon 


pno duet, org, 3 perc (timp, glock, xylo, vibr, crash cym, 

sus cym, gong, tri, tamb, sd, td, bd), str 

Cyrus soprano/tenor 

Daniel mezzo-soprano/baritone 

Chief Priest spoken 

Cook contralto 

Habaccuc soprano/tenor 

Angel spoken 

Chorus (priests, families, soldiers 

and citizens of Babylon) 

Drawn from apocryphal stories in the extended Book 

of Daniel, the tales of Bel and the Dragon narrate how 

Daniel exposes the dishonesty of the priests of Bel, 

and then slays a dragon revered by the Babylonians 

by feeding it cakes made with pitch, fat and hair. With 

a libretto by Timothy Kraemer, this lively children’s 

opera offers broad scope for all participants to be fully 

included in performance. 

60 minutes 

arr. Roy Douglas 

Red Riding Hood 

Will Grant 


fl, ob (or fl II), cl, pno, str (opt vln III to replace va) 

Red Riding Hood, The Wolf, Grannie, Fluff a rabbit, 

Nipoff, Buff, Wuff, Puff, Jack, Jim, Jo, Fairy Queen, 

Finnikin, Winnikin, Minnikin, Robin, Cricket, Chorus of 

Fairies, Chorus of Bunnies 

A small and witty children’s opera, with a text by poet 

and children’s author Rose Fyleman, and orchestrated 

by Roy Douglas after the composer’s death. This 

charming romp through the well-known fairy tale is 

ideal for school performances. 

50 minutes

Alun Hoddinott 

What the Old Man Does 

is Always Right 


Chorus part on hire 9780193368613 

cl, hn, vln, vc, pno duet, perc (xylo, sd, mara, tamb, glock, md, 

tri, bells, sus cym, claves, guiro, gong, bdc) 

The Old Man bass baritone 

The Old Woman soprano 

First and Second Travellers tenors 

Landlady contralto 

Shepherdess soprano 

Farmer baritone 

Farmer’s Lad tenor 

Old Couple baritone, contralto 

With a libretto by Myfanwy Piper based on Hans 

Christian Andersen’s story of the same name, this 

humorous ‘musical entertainment’ follows the 

misadventures of a farmer who consistently makes poor 

trading decisions and yet never loses his wife’s approval. 

54 minutes 

Animal Magic 

Gordon Jacob 


Vocal score* 9780193370708 

Pno duet or 

ensemble: tr/desc rec, cls, tuned/untuned percussion 

A cast of animals, including: 

Anteater, Camel, Cheetah, Tortoise ,Water-skater, Seals, 

Cockroach, Llama, Warthog, Armadillo, Whale 

This cantata, written for children, was commissioned by 

the Ealing Schools Music Association in 1967. 

* Available from Banks Music Publications 

22 minutes 

Robert Long 

Daedalus and Icarus 


des rec, tr rec, ten rec, perc (4 glock, 3 xylo, tambour, cym, 

bd, tri, gong or large sus cym, cowbell, tamb, wblk or claves, 

Indian bells, mara or shakers, tub bells (opt)), pno 

Chorus with optional solo narrator 

This short cantata for older children or young teenagers 

is a version of the famous myth of the ancient Minoan 

civilisation that flourished in Crete about 3000 to 

1200 bce. Daedalus, a craftsman-inventor from Greece, is 

forced to flee to Crete after being suspected of murder. 

There he strikes a bargain with King Minos, who will 

allow him and his son Icarus to remain in Crete if they 

create a secure prison for the terrifying Minotaur. The 

six choral songs that tell the story are separated by 

narrative passages that can be performed either by a 

small choral speaking group, or by an individual child. 

16 minutes 

The Fire Maid 


rec, perc, timp (+ bd), solo insts in C + Bb, gtr 

or pno only 

Storyteller, Yefim, an old man 

Alyosha, a young boy 

Fire Maid 

Alyosha’s mother 

Czar's messengers 3 

Village children minimum of 12 

Village parents minimum of 12 

Fire Maid’s attendants minimum of 8 

This children’s opera is adapted from a Russian folk tale. 

Its story concerns the mythical dancing Fire Maid who 

is said to leave behind gold wherever she disappears, 

but whose touch is deadly and whose presence forever 

haunts those who have seen her. However, when the 

old storyteller who lives outside the village loses his 

shelter to fire, the Fire Maid leads one of the village 

children through the snow to his rescue. The Fire Maid 

offers opportunity for four principal acting parts, crowd 

parts, offstage chorus, instrumental ensembles, two 

groups of dancers and even some improvised dialogue 

and musical commentary, making it an attractive and 

inclusive option for class and school productions. 

50 minutes 

Musical Dramas for Young People Hoddinott – Long 

35

Musical Dramas for Young People Mathias – Rutter 

Jonah 

Vocal and instrumental scores on hiree 9780193374652 

2 tpt, pno duet, org, timp, 2 perc (sd, bd, cym, tri, tamb, gong, 

glock), str, 4 pre-recorded sound tapes 

Jonah baritone 

Narrator tenor 

Shipmaster tenor 

sa Children’s Chorus 

satb Chorus 

Based on the biblical story, Jonah was devised as a 

musical morality involving music, speech, movement 

and recorded sounds. The parts for Jonah and the 

Narrator should be taken by professional singers; 

the orchestra can be made up of professional players 

and amateurs (or schoolchildren). It may be sung as 

a cantata or staged as a masque. 

60 minutes 

William Mathias 

Bang! 

John Rutter 


full version: 2 fl (II+picc), ob, 2 cl, bsn, 2 hn, 2 tpt, 2 tbn, 3 perc 

(glock, chime bars, xylo, sd, td, bd, tamb, tri, cym, sus cym, 

tub bells (opt)), hpd (+pno), str 

reduced version: perc (as above), elec org and/or pno 

(preferably both), str 

second reduced version: pno and all or some of the perc parts 

Father Garnet (Superior of the English Jesuits) 

Robert Catesby (Catholic, Leader of the Conspirators) 

Thomas Bates 

Robert Keyes 

Guy Fawkes 

Thomas Percy 

Thomas Winter 

Robert Winter 

John Grant 

Ambrose Rookwood 

Sir Everard Digby 

Christopher Wright 

John Wright 

Francis Tresham 

King James the First 

Robert Cecil (Secretary of State) 

Sir William Wade 

Sir Thomas Knevet 

Sir Robert Digby 

Simkin 

Sir Edward Coke 

Clerk of the Court 

With a libretto by David Richard Grant, this opera for 

young people is based on the story of the Gunpowder 

Plot of 1605. The story opens with Catholic conspirators 

meeting in an ale house, where plans are drawn 

together to blow up Parliament House. The plan is 

readied the night before, leaving Guy Fawkes to keep 

watch. However, Robert Cecil (the Secretary of State) 

discovers Fawkes and warrants the other conspirators’ 

arrest. Act II starts with a Catholic uprising in the 

Midlands, where subsequently the conspirators 

are captured, put on trial and convicted. The opera 

ends with an Agnus Dei sung by all asking for God’s 

forgiveness. 

60 minutes 

36

Brother Heinrich’s Christmas 


Condensed score 9780193380462 

Oboe and bassoon part 9780193380479 

2 fl, ob, cl in Bb, bsn, 2 hn in F, 1 perc player (snare drum, sus 

cym, tub bells (chimes), antique cym (crotales) tuned A, B, E), 

hp, str 

or ob, bsn, pno 

Narrator 

Chorus 

A fable with music, this delightful and humorous work 

tells the story of the fourteenth-century Dominican 

mystic Heinrich Suso and Sigismund, his donkey. 

According to legend, Heinrich notated the carol ‘In 

dulci jubilo’ after it had been sung to him by a band of 

angels; in this version Heinrich has been asked to write 

a new carol for the monastery choir, but struggles until 

Christmas Eve, when he is visited by a choir of singing 

angels. 

15 minutes 

Piper of Hamelin 


fl (+picc), ob, perc, pno (+hpd), str (2.2.1.1.1) 

Shopkeeper 

Lame Boy 

Mayor 

Mayor’s Wife speaking 

Mayor’s Son speaking 

Mayor’s Daughter speaking 

Mayor’s Secretary 

Medical Officer 

Town Architect 

Town Clerk 

Treasurer 

Two Aldermen 

The Assistant Clerk speaking 

The Pied Piper 

Apprentice speaking 

Chorus of Townsfolk 

Three Town Musicians 

Chorus of Children 

Rats silent 

An opera for schools, written for soloists, chorus and 

instrumental ensemble, suitable for children aged 8–13. 

The libretto is by Jeremy James Taylor and is based on 

variations of the original mysterious yet disturbing story 

of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The Piper is called to rid 

the town of Hamelin from a rat infestation. However, 

after fulfilling his task by piping the rats away down the 

river, the Piper is not paid by the Mayor. With controlled 

fury, the Piper heads out into the streets and, playing 

his pipe, charms the children so they hypnotically follow 

him out of the town and into the hillside, which closes 

up after them. 

45 minutes 

Musical Dramas for Young People Rutter 

37

Musical Dramas for Young People Rutter 

The Reluctant Dragon 


Vocal score 9780193380561 

2 perc (vibr, glock, fireman’s bell, dkit), 

2 kbd (elec org, hpd or pno), str (minimum 4.3.2.2.1) 

Boy soprano or mezzo-soprano 

Dragon tenor 

St George baritone 

Villager baritone or bass 

Master of Ceremonies speaking, can double as Villager 

Narrator speaking 

Based on a children’s story by Kenneth Grahame, this 

light-hearted version of the tale of St George and the 

Dragon features an erudite, poetry-loving dragon who 

is no threat – and a cunning plan to make him accepted. 

The parts of St George and the Dragon are intended for 

adult singers; the Boy can be sung by a child soprano. 

The orchestral accompaniment is within the capacity 

of good teenage performers; alternatively, piano 

accompaniment would be adequate (with double-bass 

and drums if possible). 

23 minutes 

The Wind in the Willows 


Condensed score 9780193380585 

fl, ob, perc, hp, elec pno/pno, str 

or pno, db, drums 

Rat tenor 

Mole alto 

Badger baritone 

Gaoler’s Daughter soprano 

Toad tenor 

Narrator spoken 

Magistrate spoken 

Usher spoken 

Chorus of Field Mice children 

Chorus 

This witty and enjoyable musical entertainment is 

based on the 1908 book by Kenneth Grahame and was 

originally written as an ‘entertainment’ for The King’s 

Singers and the City of London Sinfonia to perform 

at a family concert. The main roles are written for 

adult singers, with a chorus of children and adults. 

The orchestral accompaniment is accessible for youth 

or amateur players, and the work can alternatively 

be performed with piano, double-bass and drums 

accompaniment. 

32 minutes 

38

A Pride of Lions 

Phyllis Tate 


fl (+picc)*, cl*, bsn*, hn*, 2 perc (tuned and untuned), elec gtr, 

recs (* = opt) 

Prince Timur, young, handsome, accomplished, 

but a bit of a coward 

Grand Vizier, fat, pompous, self-important 

and long-winded 

Husayn, a warrior sheikh of the desert 

Emir, wealthy, of commanding presence 

Yasmin, his daughter, dark, beautiful, flirtatious 

Boulak, the Emir’s porter 

Lion 

Based on an old Persian tale, this children’s opera tells 

the story of a virtuous and accomplished young prince 

with only one flaw: he is a coward. When tradition 

dictates that he undergoes a daunting challenge to 

prove his courage before becoming king, he instead 

runs away; however, his subsequent adventures 

ultimately lead to a happy outcome. This work can be 

performed in a variety of ways, including as a puppet 

play, a staged production, or in the round, making it 

very suitable for school presentation. 

25 minutes 

The Scarecrow 


Vocal score* 9780193383524 

fl, ob, cl, bsn, hn, tpt, tbn, gtr, 2 perc (bd, sd, sus cym, finger 

cym, tri, tamb, tub bells, xylo, claves, tabor, mara, wblk), db 

Morris, Leader of the Scarecrows 

Farmer Benbow 

Mrs Benbow 

Rosalind Benbow 

Ben Benbow 

Bow Benbow 

Narrators 

Chorus of Farmers, Scarecrows and Villagers 

The Scarecrow was written for junior singers, actors 

and dancers with instrumental ensemble or piano 

and percussion. The libretto was written by Michael 

Morpurgo, a Children’s Laureate (2003–5) and author of 

novels such as War Horse. 

* Available from Banks Music Publications 

25 minutes 

Solar 


fl/picc, ob, cl, alto sax, bsn, hn, tpt, tbn, 2 perc, str, 

(pno plays from vocal score) 

SOLAR, a giant-size model of a solar 

Gentleman Jack and Willy Nilly, two tramps 

Mr Keepoff, park keeper 

Sarah, Sophie and Tom, children 

Mayor and Mayoress Hobnob of Brummietown 

Chorus of Tramps 

Chorus of Children 

Chorus of the Corporation 

Chorus of Solars (the largest chorus) 

This delightful school musical can be performed either 

on a large scale or as a small classroom production. 

It tells the story of a group of visitors to earth from 

a distant planet, and their reception by the children 

and adults they encounter. There is broad scope for 

creativity in staging and costume design, and even the 

audience is integral to the plot. 

35 minutes 

Twice in a Blue Moon 


perc, 2 pno, db (opt) 

John Crome baritone 

Pheby mezzo-soprano 

A Guide spoken 

Chorus 1 

Chorus 2 

Speech Chorus 

An operetta based on the life of John Crome, a leading 

figure in the Norwich school of landscape painters. The 

opera opens with Mr and Mrs Crome arguing that if 

they cut one of John’s paintings in two, they can make 

twice the amount of money. After a musical interlude, 

the drama continues years later at the National Portrait 

Gallery, where the picture is on display, and the ghosts 

of the Cromes appear, finding out that the painting is 

now worth a lot of money. 

25 minutes 

Musical Dramas for Young People Tate 

39

Ballet & Opera in Concert 


La fille mal gardée (Suite) 


2 fl, 2 ob, 2 cl, 2 bn, 4 hn, 2 tpt, 3 tbn, tba, timp, perc (cym, BD), 

hp, str 

Extracting material from the full length ballet, this 

suite provides the perfect opportunity for a concert 

performance of highlights from this light-hearted and 

characterful work. 

19 minutes 


Clog Dance 

from La fille mal gardée 


2 fl, 2 ob, 2 cl, 2 bn, 4 hn, 2 tpt, 3 tbn, tba, wood block, str 

This excerpt draws out one of the most popular and 

iconic moments of La fille mal gardée. The ‘Clog Dance’ 

opens with an enticing descending clarinet melody, 

which gradually builds to a jaunty and rhythmic motif. 

3 minutes 

Ferdinand Hérold 

Gordon Jacob 

The Barber of Seville goes to the 

Devil 


picc, fl, ob, 2 cl, bn, 2 hn, 2 tpt, 2 tbn, timp, 3 perc, hp, str 

A playful take on the overture to Rossini's The Barber of 

Seville, this witty and lilting rendition retains the upbeat 

character of the original whilst adding in some devilish 

chromatic twists and turns. 

4 minutes 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 

ed. Alan Tyson 

The Marriage of Figaro 

Variant versions 


2 fl, 2 ob, 2 bsn, 2 hn, 2 tpt, timp, str 

Count Almaviva, a nobleman baritone 

Countess Rosina, the Count’s wife soprano 

Susanna, the countess’s maid and Figaro’s 

betrothed soprano 

Cherubino, a page mezzo-soprano 

Marcellina, Bartolo’s housekeeper mezzo-soprano 

This set of orchestral accompaniments includes variant 

versions of the following excerpts from the opera: the 

Count’s aria: Veddrò mentr’io sospiro; the Countess’s 

aria: Dove sono; recitative for Susanna and Cherubino: 

Aprite presto aprite; duettino for Marcellina and Susanna: 

Via resti servita; recitiativo and cavatina for Marcellina: 

Signora mia garbata, link from Marcia to Maestoso 

recitative; recitative for Cherubino: Voi che intendente. 

10 minutes 

Constant Lambert 

Horoscope (Suite) 


3fl (2&3/picc), 2ob (2/ca), 2cl, 2bsn, 4hn, 3tpt, 3tbn, tuba, timp, 

2perc, hp, str 

The Horoscope suite draws material from five of the 

nine movements from the complete astrologically 

themed ballet, created 1937 for choreography by 

Frederick Ashton. The work opens with a lively and 

rhythmical Dance for the Followers of Leo, before a lyrical 

and flowing Saraband for the Followers of Virgo. The 

gently lilting Valse for the Gemini (The Twins) cascades 

into a punchy Bacchanale, before the final enchanting 

Invocation to the Moon & Finale. This sparkling score is 

bursting with exuberance and romanticism. 

15 minutes 

40

ed. David Russell Hulme 

Ruddigore Overture 

Conductor's score and parts on hire 9780193243545 

2 fl (II+picc), ob, 2 cl, bsn, 2 hn, 2 cor, 2 tbn, 

perc (timp, sd, cym, bd), str 

The overture for an operetta in two acts by Arthur 

Sullivan to a libretto by W. S. Gilbert that premièred at 

the Savoy Theatre on 22nd January 1887 in London. This 

edition is complete, clear, and practical as well as being 

scholarly and authoritative. 

6 minutes 


Arthur Sullivan 

The Yeomen of the Guard Overture 

Conductor's score and parts on hire 9780193389663 

2 fl (II+picc), ob, 2 cl, 2 bsn, 2 hn, 2 tpt, 3 tbn, timp, str 

The Yeomen of the Guard is one of the most popular 

and enduring Gilbert and Sullivan Savoy operas. 

This version of the overture is taken from the critical 

performing edition, which marks the 125th anniversary 

of the opera's first performance. Opening with a 

triumphant fanfare, the overture is one of Sullivan's 

most symphonic. 

5 minutes 

Alan Rawsthorne 

Madame Chrysanthème (Suite) 


2 fl, 2 ob, 2 cl, 2 bn, 2 hn, 2 tpt, 2 tbn, timp, 2 perc, hp, str 

Derived from music from the full ballet, Madame 

Chysanthème is based on the novel of the same name 

by Pierre Loti and narrates the temporary marriage 

between a naval officer and a Japanese woman while 

he is stationed in Nagasaki. The suite is divided into four 

movements - Procession with Lanterns, Sword Dance, 

Hornpipe, and Les mousmès. 

9 minutes 


arr. Adrian Williams 

A Road All Paved with Stars 


Study score 9780193409859 

2 fl (II+picc), 2 ob, 2 cl, 2 bn, 4 hn, 2 tpt, 2 tbn, tba, timp, 3 perc, 

hp, str 

Jointly commissioned by The Vaughan Williams 

Charitable Trust and Oxford University Press, A Road All 

Paved with Stars is a single-movement orchestral work 

incorporating the finest music of Vaughan Williams’s 

opera The Poisoned Kiss. Using material from the most 

memorable songs and sections, including ‘Blue larkspur 

in a garden’, ‘Love breaks all rules’, and of course the ‘Kiss’ 

climax and its aftermath, Adrian Williams has created 

an orchestral synthesis befitting the composer’s own 

musical vision. 

25 minutes 

orch. Martin Yates 

Fat Knight 


Study score 9780193519718 

2fl(II+picc), 2ob(II+ca), 2cl, 2bsn, 2hn, 2tpt, tbn, timp, 3perc, 

hp, str 

Originally the title for Vaughan Williams's opera Sir 

John in Love, Fat Knight was conceived as a sevenmovement 

orchestral suite that drew upon the opera 

and had, as its central character, Shakespeare's Falstaff. 

Vaughan Williams never completed the work and left 

only a two-piano score. It is from this score that the 

conductor Martin Yates has realised the Fat Knight suite, 

incorporating the orchestration from the completed 

opera. 

25 minutes 


41 

41


The Poisoned Kiss Overture 


2 fl (II+picc), ob (+ca), 2 cl, bn, 2 hn, 2 tpt, tbn, timp, 2 perc 

(BD, SD, gong, clash cym, tamb, sus cym, tri, xylo), hp, str 

The Poisoned Kiss is a stage work subtitled ‘A Romantic 

Extravaganza’ that falls somewhere between serious 

opera and comic operetta. Its Overture may be 

described in the same way, with expressive melodies set 

alongside witty parodies. The orchestration is vivid and 

colourful, punctuating the overture’s comic moments 

and lending a luscious quality to the more Romantic 

passages. This combination of tunefulness, wit, and 

colour makes the Overture a delightful addition to an 

orchestral concert programme. 

6 minutes 

Johann Sebastian Bach 

arr. William Walton 

The Wise Virgins (Suite) 


2 fl (I&II+picc), 2 ob (II+ca), 2 cl, 2 bn, 4 hn, 2 tpt, 3 tbn, timp, 

hp, str 

Three months after the opening choreographed 

performance, Walton recorded the six numbers that 

now constitute the Suite from the ballet. It received its 

first performance in November 1940 at Queen’s Hall, 

London. 

ed. Christopher Palmer 

Troilus and Cressida (Suite) 


3 fl (III+picc & afl (opt)), 2 ob (+ca), 2 cl (+bcl), 2 bn (+cbn), 

4 hn, 4 tpt, 3 tbn, tba, timp, 5 perc (bd, chimes, tam-tam, vib, 

xyl, sd, cym, tamb,ten dr, tri, field dr, glk, piatti, w-blk, gong) 

cel, pn, 2 hp, str 

Prepared by Christopher Palmer at the invitation of Lady 

Walton and Oxford University Press, the suite was first 

performed by BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra in 1988. 

It consists of four movements, vividly encapsulating 

the drama and tragedy offered by the full opera. 

The first movement, ‘The Trojans’, draws on music 

from opening scenes, depicting the first meeting of 

Troilus and Cressida. This is followed by a playful and 

skittish ‘Scherzo’, characterised by Pandarus, where he 

orchestrates bringing the titular characters together. 

The third movement, entitled ‘The Lovers’, carries the 

main emotional burden of the work, and features some 

of the most passionate lines from the second act of 

the opera, including a tumultuous Allegro tempestuoso 

‘Storm Interlude’. The ‘Finale’ opens with the gloomy and 

heartbroken lament of Cressida, captive in the Greek 

camp, before a sudden flourish of trumpets begins the 

escalation to the final tragedy – the stabbing of Troilus, 

and suicide of Cressida. 

35 minutes 


16 minutes 

42 

42

Opera Choruses Anthology 

ed. John Rutter 

Opera Choruses 

SATB or lower voices and piano or orchestra 

Vocal score 9780193436930 

Vocal scores on hire 9780193437029 

Opera Choruses is a collection of 35 classic opera 

choruses, compiled and edited as separate concert 

works, all with excellent English singing translations and 

practical keyboard reductions. Some vocal scores from 

this volume are available separately as print and digital 

leaflets/octavos in the Oxford Choral Classics Octavo 

series. The accompanying orchestral material for all titles 

in the collection is available on hire. 

Beethoven Prisoners' chorus (Fidelio) 9780193443006 

Berlioz Roman carnival (Benvenuto Cellini) 9780193443013 

Bizet Habanera (Carmen) 9780193443020 

Bizet March of the toreadors (Carmen) 9780193443037 

Borodin Polovtsian dances (Prince Igor) 9780193443044 

Donizetti Chorus of wedding guests (Lucia di Lammermoor) 9780193443051 

Gounod Soldiers' chorus (Faust) 9780193443068 

Handel Chorus of enchanted islanders (Alcina) 9780193443075 

Leoncavallo Bell chorus (Pagliacci) 9780193443082 

Mascagni Easter hymn (Cavalleria Rusticana) 9780193443341 

Mozart Priests' chorus (Die Zauberflöte) 9780193443099 

Mozart Voyagers' chorus (Idomeneo) 9780193443105 

Mussorgsky Coronation scene (Boris Godunov) 9780193443112 

Puccini Humming chorus (Madama Butterfly) 9780193443129 

Purcell Dido's lament and final chorus (Dido and Aeneas) 9780193443136 

Rimsky-Korsakov Procession of the nobles (Mlada) 9780193443143 

Rossini Prayer (Moïse) 9780193443150 

Rossini Villagers' chorus (Guillaume Tell) 9780193443167 

Tchaikovsky Chorus of peasant girls (Eugene Onegin) 9780193443174 


Tchaikovsky Waltz scene (Eugene Onegin) 9780193443181 

Verdi Anvil chorus (Il Trovatore) 9780193443198 

Verdi Brindisi (La Traviata) 9780193443204 

Verdi Chorus of the Hebrew slaves (Nabucco) 9780193443211 

Verdi Chorus of Scottish refugees (Macbeth) 9780193443228 

Verdi Matador's chorus (La Traviata) 9780193443235 

Verdi Rataplan (La Forza del Destino) 9780193443242 

Verdi Soldiers' chorus (Il Trovatore) 9780193443259 

Verdi Triumphal scene (Aida) 9780193443266 

Verdi Witches' chorus (Macbeth) 9780193443273 

Wagner Bridal chorus (Lohengrin) 9780193443280 

Wagner Pilgrims' chorus (Tannhäuser) 9780193443297 

Wagner Procession and chorale (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) 9780193443303 

Wagner Sailors' chorus (Der Fliegende Holländer) 9780193443310 

Wagner Spinning chorus (Der Fliegende Holländer) 9780193443327 

Weber Huntsmen's chorus (Der Freischütz) 9780193443334 

43

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