BENJAMIN BRITTEN (1913-1976)

Owen Wingrave, Op. 85

107:18

An opera in two acts

Libretto by Myfanwy Piper based on the short story by Henry James

Act I

1

Prelude –

3:24

Scene 1

2

Coyle: 'You've got your maps there?' –

5:06

3

Owen: 'Sir – I can't go through with it' –

3:49

4

Coyle: 'Straight out of school they come to me' – Interlude I –

3:23

Scene 2

5

Owen: 'At last it's out' – Interlude II. Owen: ''War is the statesman's game, the priest's delight…''

7:10

Scene 3

6

Lechmere: 'Your sherry, Mrs Coyle' –

5:44

7

Lechmere: 'Owen, you can't mean it' – Interlude III –

5:22

Scene 4

8

Mrs Julian: 'Oh, how unforeseen' –

4:33

9

Owen: 'And now, to face them' –

5:58

10

Sir Philip: 'Sirrah! How dare you!' –

4:04

Scene 5

Miss Wingrave, Kate, Sir Philip, Mrs Julian: 'How dare you!' –

Scene 6

11

Mrs Coyle: 'Coyle, I wish I had not come' –

3:12

12

Mrs Coyle: 'Ah! Owen!' – Interlude IV –

3:53

Scene 7

13

Sir Philip: 'May God bless the Queen, and this house'

8:49

Act II

14

Prologue (The Ballad). The Narrator: 'There was a boy, a Wingrave born' –

4:32

15

The Narrator: 'They called for him to toll the bell' –

2:37

Scene 1

Owen: 'The bell was for the child he slew' –

16

Lechmere: 'I envy you this fine old house' –

2:29

17

Sir Philip: 'Aha!' –

7:21

18

Owen: ''And with his friend young Lechmere played…'' –

4:13

19

Owen: 'Now you may save your scornful looks' –

5:26

20

Kate: 'Ah, Owen, what shall I do?' –

7:41

Scene 2

21

Mrs Coyle: 'Is that you, Coyle?' –

5:07

22

Kate: 'Ah, Owen, Owen – you've gone!'

3:17

Peter Coleman-Wright baritone - Owen Wingrave

Alan Opie baritone - Spencer Coyle

James Gilchrist tenor - Lechmere

Elizabeth Connell soprano - Miss Wingrave

Janice Watson soprano - Mrs Coyle

Sarah Fox soprano - Mrs Julian

Pamela Helen Stephen mezzo-soprano - Kate

Robin Leggate tenor - General Sir Philip Wingrave, Narrator

Richard Hickox

6-9 December 2007