'The Golden Goose', a choral ballet based on a Grimm fairy tale, was composed for Morley College, where Holst was Director of Music, and was intended for amateur performers.
Composer Biography
Gustav Holst, known primarily for 'The Planets', wrote nearly twenty works for the stage, including early and unfinished pieces.
Composition History
'The Morning of the Year', another choral ballet, was the first work commissioned by the BBC Music Department and is dedicated to the English Folk Dance Society.
Critical Reception
The opera 'The Perfect Fool', a satire on Wagner's 'Parsifal', was first performed in 1923 but was never revived after 1924, though its ballet music became an orchestral showpiece.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Holst disliked repeating himself; the success of 'The Planets' brought him little pleasure as he felt overshadowed by it and the expectations it created.
Composition History
The ballet music from 'The Perfect Fool' and 'The Lure' originated from incidental music Holst wrote in 1918 for a play called 'The Sneezing Charm' by Clifford Bax.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Holst's main artistic challenge in opera was his belief that he could successfully write his own librettos, which often proved inadequate.
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