Walton received a commission from the Koussevitzsky Foundation in 1958, and he dedicated the opera "to the memory of Serge and Natalie Koussevitzky". He began composing in 1965 when the Aldeburgh Festival in England requested an opera from him.[1]The Bear was first performed at the Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh on 3 June 1967.
The opera is regarded as having "enjoyed more success and popularity than its larger-scale predecessor, Troilus and Cressida [......] because its witty parodies are in the manner of [Walton's 1922] Facade"[2] and the librettists' ability "to emulate Chekhov's caricatures of the three main characters" are also successful.[3]
Place: The drawing room of Yelena Ivanovna Popova’s country house
Time: Around 1888
Popova is a widow, remaining faithful to the memory of her late husband, Popov. Her servant, Luka, remarks upon her affected sorrow. Smirnov, one of Popov's creditors, appears. During the course of the story, it becomes clear that Popov was promiscuous and unfaithful to his wife. Smirnov and Popova begin to quarrel, to the point where both aim loaded pistols at each other. However, neither can fire, as they have fallen in love. As the opera ends, Luka looks on in disbelief at the new lovers.
Roles
In contrast with Walton's previous opera Troilus and Cressida, which used a large cast, full orchestra and chorus, The Bear is deliberately minimal in its vocal and instrumental forces. The opera uses 3 singers and a chamber orchestra.
^Evans, Peter, "Walton, William, The Bear. Score." Music & Letters, 60(1), 117 (1979) Review.
^Anderson, Robert, "The Bear", The Musical Times, 123(1676), 699 (1982) Review of the 1982 Chandos recording.
Sources
Holden, Amanda, (ed.), The New Penguin Opera Guide, New York: Penguin Putnam, Inc., 2001 ISBN0-14-029312-4
Kennedy, Michael, "Walton, Sir William", in Stanley Sadie, (ed.), The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, Vol. 4. London: Macmillan Publishers, Inc. 1998 ISBN0-333-73432-7ISBN1-56159-228-5
Kennedy, Michael, "Bear, The" in Stanley Sadie, (Ed.), The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, Vol. 1. London: Macmillan Publishers, Inc. 1998 ISBN0-333-73432-7ISBN1-56159-228-5
External links
Oxford University Press "Programme Notes" Requires login
January 23, 2023
bear, opera, bear, second, operas, william, walton, described, publication, extravaganza, libretto, written, paul, dehn, walton, based, play, same, title, anton, chekhov, which, also, sometimes, translated, into, english, boor, bearopera, william, waltonwalton. The Bear is the second of the two operas by William Walton described in publication as an Extravaganza in One Act The libretto was written by Paul Dehn and Walton 1 based on the play of the same title by Anton Chekhov which is also sometimes translated into English as The Boor The BearOpera by William WaltonWalton in 1937LibrettistPaul Dehn and William WaltonLanguageEnglishBased onPlayby Anton ChekhovPremiere3 June 1967 1967 06 03 Jubilee Hall AldeburghWalton received a commission from the Koussevitzsky Foundation in 1958 and he dedicated the opera to the memory of Serge and Natalie Koussevitzky He began composing in 1965 when the Aldeburgh Festival in England requested an opera from him 1 The Bear was first performed at the Jubilee Hall Aldeburgh on 3 June 1967 The opera is regarded as having enjoyed more success and popularity than its larger scale predecessor Troilus and Cressida because its witty parodies are in the manner of Walton s 1922 Facade 2 and the librettists ability to emulate Chekhov s caricatures of the three main characters are also successful 3 Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Roles 3 Instrumentation 4 Recordings 5 Editions 6 References 7 External linksSynopsis EditPlace The drawing room of Yelena Ivanovna Popova s country house Time Around 1888Popova is a widow remaining faithful to the memory of her late husband Popov Her servant Luka remarks upon her affected sorrow Smirnov one of Popov s creditors appears During the course of the story it becomes clear that Popov was promiscuous and unfaithful to his wife Smirnov and Popova begin to quarrel to the point where both aim loaded pistols at each other However neither can fire as they have fallen in love As the opera ends Luka looks on in disbelief at the new lovers Roles EditIn contrast with Walton s previous opera Troilus and Cressida which used a large cast full orchestra and chorus The Bear is deliberately minimal in its vocal and instrumental forces The opera uses 3 singers and a chamber orchestra Role Voice type Premiere Cast 3 June 1967 Conductor James Lockhart Yelena Ivanovna Popova a widow mezzo soprano Monica SinclairGrigory Stepanovich Smirnov a creditor baritone John ShawLuka Popova s servant bass Norman LumsdenThe Cook Brief speaking roleThe Groom Brief speaking roleInstrumentation EditWoodwind flute doubling piccolo oboe doubling English horn clarinet bassoon Brass French horn trumpet trombone Percussion timpani side drum tenor drum bass drum triangle tambourine cymbals suspended cymbal gong jingles 3 wood blocks whip rattle xylophone vibraphone tubular bells in F sharp and C crotales bongos Keyboard piano Strings first violin second violin viola cello double bass parts may be doubled 4 harpRecordings Edit1967 Monica Sinclair John Shaw Norman Lumsden English Chamber Orchestra James Lockhart conductor Audio CD EMI Classics Cat Original cast recording 1982 Daphne Harris Gregory Yurisich Noel Mangin Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Vanco Cavdarski conductor analogue recording Audio CD Chandos Cat ABR 1052 5 1993 Della Jones Alan Opie John Shirley Quirk Northern Sinfonia Richard Hickox conductor Audio CD Chandos Cat 9245Editions Edit2010 A new edition of the opera was prepared by Michael Burden for the Collected Walton EditionReferences EditNotes a b Holden p 1050 Kennedy Sadie Vol 4 p 1099 Kennedy Sadie Vol 1 p 361 Evans Peter Walton William The Bear Score Music amp Letters 60 1 117 1979 Review Anderson Robert The Bear The Musical Times 123 1676 699 1982 Review of the 1982 Chandos recording Sources Holden Amanda ed The New Penguin Opera Guide New York Penguin Putnam Inc 2001 ISBN 0 14 029312 4 Kennedy Michael Walton Sir William in Stanley Sadie ed The New Grove Dictionary of Opera Vol 4 London Macmillan Publishers Inc 1998 ISBN 0 333 73432 7 ISBN 1 56159 228 5 Kennedy Michael Bear The in Stanley Sadie Ed The New Grove Dictionary of Opera Vol 1 London Macmillan Publishers Inc 1998 ISBN 0 333 73432 7 ISBN 1 56159 228 5External links EditOxford University Press Programme Notes Requires login Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Bear opera amp oldid 1115909192, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
