''The Wandering Scholar'', Op. 50 is a

chamber opera Chamber opera is a designation for operas written to be performed with a chamber ensemble rather than a full orchestra. Early 20th-century operas of this type include Paul Hindemith's ''Cardillac'' (1926). Earlier small-scale operas such as Pergoles ...

in one act by the English composer

Gustav Holst Gustav Theodore Holst (born Gustavus Theodore von Holst; 21 September 1874 – 25 May 1934) was an English composer, arranger and teacher. Best known for his orchestral suite ''The Planets'', he composed many other works across a range ...

, composed 1929–30. The

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

, by

Clifford Bax Clifford Lea Bax (13 July 1886 – 18 November 1962)Armorial Families: A Directory of Gentlemen of Coat-Armour, A. C. Fox-Davies, T. C. & E. C. Jack, 1910, p. 106 was a versatile English writer, known particularly as a playwright, a journalist, ...

, is based on the book '' The Wandering Scholars'' by

Helen Waddell Helen Jane Waddell (31 May 1889 – 5 March 1965) was an Irish poet, translator and playwright. She was a recipient of the Benson Medal. Biography She was born in Tokyo, the tenth and youngest child of Hugh Waddell, a Presbyterian minister ...

. The opera received its premiere at the David Lewis Theatre,

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

on 31 January 1934, but Holst did not hear the live performance because he was too ill to attend. The manuscript contains notes in Holst's own hand such as "More harmony" and "Tempo?", which indicated that Holst had thoughts of revising the work. However, Holst did not revise the manuscript before his death in May 1934.

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...

prepared a chamber-orchestra version of the score for performance, and this version was given at the

Cheltenham Music Festival The Cheltenham Music Festival is a British music festival, held annually in Cheltenham in the summer months (June, July) since 1945. The festival is renowned for premieres of contemporary music, hosting over 250 music premieres as of July 200 ...

in 1951. In 1968, Britten and

Imogen Holst Imogen Clare Holst (; 12 April 1907 – 9 March 1984) was a British composer, arranger, conductor, teacher, musicologist, and festival administrator. The only child of the composer Gustav Holst, she is particularly known for her education ...

edited the opera for publication.

Roles

Synopsis

:Place: 13th-century farmhouse in France, the home of Louis, a farmer, and his wife Alison. Louis is preparing to go to town to obtain provisions, and tries to kiss Alison before leaving, but she rebuffs him. After Louis departs, Alison pulls out a concealed almond-cake, a bottle of Burgundy, and pork, to entertain Father Philippe, who has designs on her. Father Philippe arrives, and makes a pass at Alison. She initially claims that she will not deceive her husband, but after she points out the attic and that the pork will take 20 minutes to cook, they start to move towards the attic. Just then, Pierre, a poor wandering scholar, arrives and begs for food. Alison is sympathetic to Pierre's plight, but Father Philippe wants Pierre to leave immediately. Alison allows Pierre to stay, finding him handsome. Pierre begins to tell his story. Father Philippe then brandishes Louis'

cudgel A club (also known as a cudgel, baton, bludgeon, truncheon, cosh, nightstick, or impact weapon) is a short staff or stick, usually made of wood, wielded as a weapon since prehistoric times. There are several examples of blunt-force trauma caused ...

and drives Pierre away. Father Philippe then makes a second attempt to take Alison up to the attic, expressing concern about whether the ladder will bear his weight. Alison, however, hears Louis returning, and is concerned because she and Louis had no provisions when he had left for town. Alison and Father Philippe hide the cake, Burgundy and pork, and Father Philippe conceals himself. Louis and Pierre enter, with Louis asking Alison to provide food for Pierre. Alison protests that Louis was supposed to go to town to obtain provisions. Pierre begins to tell a tale about a herd of pigs, and lets slip that there is a piece of pork in the pot on the stove. Louis is stunned at this, and asks Alison if there is pork in the pot. Alison denies this, but Louis asks to take the lid off, which reveals the pork. Alison feigns surprise, and as Pierre continues his story of the pigs and a wolf, where the story parallels the earlier situation with him, Alison and Father Philippe. Alison protests that Pierre is some sort of demonic wizard who made the food magically appear, but Pierre finishes his tale with an allusion to a hidden priest who would have robbed them. Louis discovers Father Philippe and drives him out of the house. Alison brings the cooked pork to the table. Louis orders Pierre to sit at the table. Alison is about to do the same, but Louis orders her not to sit, and instead to go up to the attic. She obeys nervously, with Louis following her with his cudgel. Pierre settles down to food and drink as the curtain falls.

Recordings

* HMV ASD3097 (original LP issue) / EMI CDC 7 49409 2 (CD reissue):

Norma Burrowes Norma Burrowes (born 24 April 1944) is an Irish coloratura soprano, particularly associated with Handel and Mozart roles. Life and career Born in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, Burrowes studied at The Queen's University of Belfast and the ...

(Alison), Michael Rippon (Louis),

Michael Langdon Michael Langdon CBE (12 November 192012 March 1991) was a British bass opera singer. Langdon was born in Wolverhampton. He had six half brothers and sisters, the youngest, Maud being 19 years his senior. His father, Harry (birth name Frank Bi ...

(Father Philippe),

Robert Tear Robert Tear (pronounced to rhyme with "beer"), CBE (8 March 1939 – 29 March 2011) was a Welsh tenor singer, teacher and conductor. He first became known singing in the operas of Benjamin Britten in the mid-1960s. From the 1970s until his ...

(Pierre);

English Opera Group The English Opera Group was a small company of British musicians formed in 1947 by the composer Benjamin Britten (along with John Piper, Eric Crozier and Anne Wood) for the purpose of presenting his and other, primarily British, composers' opera ...

;

English Chamber Orchestra The English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) is a British chamber orchestra based in London. The full orchestra regularly plays concerts at Cadogan Hall, and their ensemble performs at Wigmore Hall. The orchestra regularly tours in the UK and internationall ...

;

Steuart Bedford Steuart John Rudolf Bedford (31 July 1939 – 15 February 2021) was an English orchestral and opera conductor and pianist. He was the brother of composer David Bedford and of singer Peter Lehmann Bedford and a grandson of Liza Lehmann and Her ...

, conductor * Chandos CHAN 9734: Ingrid Attrot (Alison), Alan Opie (Louis), Donald Maxwell (Father Philippe), Neill Archer (Pierre);

Northern Sinfonia Royal Northern Sinfonia is a British chamber orchestra, founded in Newcastle upon Tyne and currently based in Gateshead. For the first 46 years of its history, the orchestra gave most of its concerts at the Newcastle City Hall. Since 2004, the o ...

;

Richard Hickox Richard Sidney Hickox (5 March 1948 – 23 November 2008) was an English conductor of choral, orchestral and operatic music. Early life Hickox was born in Stokenchurch in Buckinghamshire into a musical family. After attending the Royal Gram ...

, conductor

References

Notes Sources *Holmes, Paul, ''Holst''. Omnibus Press, 1998 * Holst, Imogen, ''A Thematic Catalogue of Gustav Holst's Music'', London: Faber Music, 1974. *Matthews, Colin (1998), "Wandering Scholar, The" in

Stanley Sadie Stanley John Sadie (; 30 October 1930 – 21 March 2005) was an influential and prolific British musicologist, music critic, and editor. He was editor of the sixth edition of the '' Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' (1980), which was publ ...

, (Ed.), ''

The New Grove Dictionary of Opera ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'' is an encyclopedia of opera, considered to be one of the best general reference sources on the subject. It is the largest work on opera in English, and in its printed form, amounts to 5,448 pages in four volu ...

'', Vol. Four. London: Macmillan Publishers, Inc.

External links

Faber Music page on ''The Wandering Scholar''

Faber Music page on the reduced score of ''The Wandering Scholar''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wandering Scholar, The Operas by Gustav Holst Chamber operas One-act operas 1934 operas Operas set in France Operas based on books Operas

Roles

Synopsis

Recordings

References

Further reading

See also

External links