The novel 'The Lodger' by Marie Belloc Lowndes, on which this opera is based, was influenced by the notorious 'Jack the Ripper' murders of 1888 in Whitechapel, London.
Recording & Production
This recording of The Lodger is from its first broadcast, an adaptation for the BBC, which took place on the BBC's Third Programme on 2 February 1964.
Composer Biography
Phyllis Tate, the composer, was expelled from primary school at age 10 for singing a lewd song and received no further formal schooling.
Cultural Impact
The novel 'The Lodger' was first filmed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1926, becoming an early example of the suspense thrillers with which his name would become synonymous.
Composition History
Phyllis Tate's opera, The Lodger, was commissioned by the Royal Academy of Music, where she had been a student, and premiered there in July 1960.
Critical Reception
After its first performance, The Lodger received an exceptionally positive reaction from the press, with one critic calling it 'an unusual and successful opera'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Phyllis Tate declared herself to be 'something in the nature of a chameleon, with a predilection for continual change of mood and scene,' which is reflected in her varied creative output.
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