Kate Royal, the soprano on this album, was inspired to create it after performing the Governess in Britten's "The Turn of the Screw," her first major role in a 20th-century opera.
Album & Artwork
The album features a selection of arias from various operatic traditions, spanning three-quarters of a century, and aims to highlight the lyrical nature of much 20th-century repertoire.
Composer Biography
Erich Wolfgang Korngold, a child prodigy whose status was recognized by Mahler, Puccini, and Richard Strauss, later moved to Hollywood, which ironically damaged his reputation among those who couldn't accept film composers as creators of 'high art.'
Composition History
Bernard Herrmann's major opera, "Wuthering Heights," based on Emily Brontë's novel, was composed between 1943 and 1951 but was not staged until 1982, seven years after his death.
Critical Reception
William Walton's "Troilus and Cressida" suffered from its timing at its 1954 Covent Garden premiere, as its post-Puccinian style was considered old-fashioned during the rigorously serial 1950s.
Composition History
William Alwyn's only major opera, "Miss Julie," based on August Strindberg's 1888 drama, was composed between 1973 and 1976 and premiered on BBC Radio in 1977.
Notable Performances
The 1945 premiere of Benjamin Britten's "Peter Grimes" established him as the leading British composer of his generation and a major new voice in international opera.
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