[Tippett, Sir Michael. (1905-1998)] [Sutherland, Joan. (1926-2010)]
"The Midsummer Marriage" - 1955 Opening Night Program
Original program from the January 27, 1955 premiere of Michael Tippett's opera The Midsummer Marriage at the Royal Opera House. Modeled after The Magic Flute, Tippett's symbolically and psychologically charged work starred Joan Sutherland, Richard Lewis and Edith Coates. 4 pp. Some light stains and marks; overall in very good condition. 8.5 x 12.5 inches (21.6 x 32 cm).Sir Michael Kemp Tippett rose to prominence during and immediately after the Second World War. In his lifetime he was sometimes ranked with his contemporary Benjamin Britten as one of the leading British composers of the 20th century. Among his best-known works are the oratorio A Child of Our Time, the orchestral Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli, and the opera The Midsummer Marriage.
"Like so much of Tippett’s music, The Midsummer Marriage represents a synthesis of disparate elements. Its use of mythological imagery and espousal of a classical Greek theatrical model have Wagnerian connotations; the use of set-piece arias as a medium for the enjoyment of singing itself (for example, Mark’s Act 1 aria, ex.4) invokes the Italian operatic practice of Verdi and Puccini; the interaction of the ‘real world’ and the ‘marvellous’ recalls Shakespeare, while the significant presence of dance points to the English masque." (David Clarke, New Grove Online.) (14320)
Program, unsigned Opera