Opera - Sir John in Love

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RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)

Sir John in Love

136:39

An opera in four acts

The libretto based on Shakespeare's 'The Merry Wives of Windsor'

Act I

1

Orchestral introduction -

6:48

Shallow, Sir Hugh Evans: 'What hoa, what hoa!'

2

Anne Page: 'Ahem'

1:46

3

Anne Page: 'This is my father's choice'

8:03

4

Page: 'How now, what does Master Fenton here?'

1:02

5

Dr Caius: 'Vere is dat knave Rugby?'

6:52

6

Episode

2:22

7

Bardolph, Nym, Pistol: 'How now, mine Host of the Garter'

2:49

8

Sir John Falstaff: 'I spy entertainment in her . . .'

3:37

9

Pistol: 'Wilt thou revenge . . .?'

2:20

10

Ford: 'Love my wife? I will be patient'

3:33

Act II

11

Orchestral introduction -

6:25

Scene 1

Mrs Page: ' ''Thine own true knight'' '

12

Mrs Qucikly: 'Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more'

3:00

Scene 2

13

Sir John Falstaff: 'Bardolph! Bardolph, I say!'

5:28

14

Sir John Falstaff: 'Go thy ways, go thy ways, old Jack!'

5:10

15

Ford: 'Sir, my name is Brook'

5:31

16

Ford: 'Ha, is this a vision?'

3:12

Act III

Scene 1: Interlude

17

Orchestral introduction -

5:41

Fenton: 'Yet hear me speak'

18

Chorus of Young Women: 'Fair and fair and twice so fair'

2:40

19

Anne Page: 'But listen, good mine Host'

2:25

Scene 2

20

Orchestral introduction -

3:49

Sir Hugh Evans: ' ''When as we sat in Papylon'' '

21

Peter Simple: 'Yonder he's coming'

2:29

22

Page: 'Come, Master Ford'

1:46

23

Orchestral introduction -

2:23

Scene 3

Mrs Ford: 'What, John! What, Robert!'

24

Mrs Ford: 'Alas, my love, you do me wrong'

2:48

25

Mrs Quickly: 'Mistress Ford!'

2:07

26

Ford, Chorus of Men: 'Ah!'

4:23

Act IV

27

Orchestral introduction -

3:35

Scene 1

Ford: 'Pardon me, wife'

28

Mrs Page: 'There is an old tale that goes Herne the hunter'

6:37

29

(Interlude)

2:03

Scene 2

30

Orchestral introduction -

1:58

31

Sir John Falstaff: 'The Windsor bell hath struck twelve'

2:47

32

Mrs Ford: 'Ah' -

3:29

Sir John Falstaff: 'Who comes here?'

33

Mrs Qucikly: 'But till 'tis one o'clock'

0:57

34

Dance of the Fairies

1:57

35

Sir Hugh Evans: 'But stay! I smell a man of middle earth'

2:09

36

Page: 'Nay, do not fly'

4:24

37

Mrs Page: 'My heart misgives me'

2:58

38

Sir John Falstaff: 'Stand not amazed'

5:04

Characters (in order of appearance)

Adrian Thompson tenor (solo parts) - Shallow

Stephan Loges baritone (ensemble parts) - Shallow

Stephen Varcoe bass - Sir Hugh Evans

Daniel Norman tenor - Slender

Henry Moss baritone - Peter Simple

Roderick Williams baritone - Page

Donald Maxwell baritone - Sir John Falstaff

John Bowen tenor - Bardolph

Richard Lloyd-Morgan bass - Nym

Brian Bannatyne-Scott baritone - Pistol

Susan Gritton soprano - Anne Page

Laura Claycomb soprano - Mrs Page

Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano - Mrs Ford

Mark Padmore tenor- Fenton

Adrian Thompson tenor - Dr Caius

Mark Richardson bass - Rugby

Anne-Marie Owens mezzo-soprano - Mrs Quickly

Stephan Loges baritone - The Host of the 'Garter Inn'

Matthew Best bass - Ford

Richard Hickox

7-10 December 2000

‘An absolute delight’
‘… this new recording under Hickox’s direction … leaves a poignant impression … The Northern Sinfonia plays warmly throughout.’
'Deux heurs de pur ravissement'
‘… it stands a fair chance of being the recording event of 1998; and it is among the most absorbing discs I’ve ever been sent for review.’
‘Richard Hickox, whose dedication to the VW cause is second to none, directs a vivid performance …’
‘…but the extra fullness and richness of the Chandos sound coupled with as keen a concern for the atmospheric beauties of the score, notably in off-stage effects, gives the new set the obvious advantage.’
‘It could not have come at a better time, and anyone who invests in it can count on experiencing that great sense of discovery that can never be taken for granted’


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