ELIZABETH MACONCHY (1907-1994)

The Sofa

39:01

Comic Opera in One Act

Libretto by Ursula Vaughan Williams

Freely adapted from Le Sofa by Crébillon fils

1

'Ah, my sweet consolation!'

2:14

Dominic, Monique

2

'How light the grace, the delicate twist'

3:07

Dominic, Monique

3

'Dominic, Casimir, Marie-Joseph, St Just, Balthasar'

2:29

Grandmother

4

'This time my patience cannot still endure'

4:36

Grandmother, Dominic

5

'My mother says all girls grow sad and languish for love'

4:14

Lucille, Yolande, Laura, Two Young Men

6

'Lucille. Ah, Lucille?'

3:24

Suitor, Lucille, Sofa (Dominic)

7

'Ha, ha, ha! Where's Dominic?…'

4:38

Ensemble, Guests, Sofa (Dominic)

8

'Come and dance!'

6:01

Ensemble, Edward, Monique, Dominic

9

'What's happened? What's happened! Has anything happened?'

1:55

Emsemble, Dominic, Edward

10

'Oh. what an intriguing, fascinating situation!'

3:05

Ensemble, Edward, Lucille, Laura, Yolande, Dominic, Monique

11

'Have they all gone'

3:15

Dominic, Monique

Nicholas Sharratt tenor - Prince Dominic

Sarah Tynan soprano - Monique

Josephine Thorpe mezzo-soprano - Dominic's Grandmother

Alinka Kozari soprano - Lucille

Anna Leese soprano - Laura

Patricia Orr mezzo-soprano - Yolande

Patrick Ashcroft tenor - A Suitor

George von Boden baritone - Edward

premiere recording

The Departure

31:00

Libretto by Anne Ridler

12

'I shall never be ready in time'

3:20

Julia, Ensemble

13

'Weightless beyond the burning margin of our air'

5:03

Julia, Ensemble

14

'But what has happened?'

3:41

Julia

15

'Julia, are you trying to speak to me?'

2:53

Mark, Julia, Ensemble

16

'Where is that Death they paint…'

0:47

Julia, Ensemble

17

'Oh, why did we leave the house that day?'

1:33

Mark, Julia

18

'Don't leave me!'

1:39

Mark, Julia

19

'But our child lives still'

2:09

Mark, Julia

20

'Then do not leave me'

6:14

Mark, Julia, Ensemble

21

'But I hear nothing! Not a voice, not a word'

3:36

Mark, Julia, Ensemble

Louise Poole mezzo-soprano - Julia

Hakan Vramsmo baritone - Mark

Dominic Wheeler

23 November (The Departure) and 24 & 25 November (The Sofa) 2007