About Wild Edric
Louis Mander has written a folk-opera, Wild Edric, based on an ancient Shropshire fable; we gave its first performance. Wild Edric both looks back to an audience-pleasing genre of the 18th century, the ballad opera (such as The Beggars' Opera) in which dialogue was combined with popular songs, and forward - the well-known folk-songs in this opera receive a 21st-century accompaniment. The opera occupied the second half of the performance - in the first half chorus and soloists celebrated the wonderful rich heritage we have of folk songs in arrangements of them by other composers, such as Britten, Holst, Bartok and Percy Grainger.
Louis Mander has previously composed two short operas which were well reviewed, and scenes from his full-length opera The Life to Come, to a libretto by Stephen Fry based on an E M Forster short story, had just been performed to considerable acclaim at the Britten Theatre in London's Royal College of Music.
Soloists in Wild Edric were Danny Standing, Nicky Ogborn and Ned Pattenden. They were joined by the company's chorus and orchestra. Production was by Jan Koene in collaboration with Rebecca Seymour, and musical direction was by David Davies in collaboration with Louis Mander.
It received this review in the Salisbury Journal:
Wild and Wonderful
Bank Holiday Monday saw Opera at Chilmark present the world premiere of Wild Edric by Louis Mander - a magical tale of love and loss, featuring a Saxon Lord and an Elfin Maiden, set in the time of the Norman Conquest. Mander‘s interest in folk song had inspired him to write the opera as a way of linking well-loved folk songs into a coherent story. This is Opera at Chilmark’s tenth season, and what better way to celebrate this than by staging a new opera in the barn at Cleeves Farm?
The narrative, drawn from a fairy story and with a libretto by Nigel Gearing, has Edric spotting the Elfin Maiden dancing with her sisters and falling instantly in love. She agrees to marry provided he says nothing against her sisters. They are married by an imperious King William who, with the chorus, performs a wonderfully rumbustious version of The Vicar Of Bray – no historical connection with Norman times but that detracts little from the fun. The audience even joined in on the last verse. Needless to say Edric does not keep his vow and suffers the tragic consequences. The final scene ends with a most moving orchestral version of ‘Drink to me only with thine eyes’. Musical director David Davies and the orchestra excelled.
As always the Chilmark chorus performed brilliantly well and Nicky Ogborn (Elfin Maiden) sings beautifully, but was on one occasion slightly overpowered by the orchestra. Ned Pattenden was an outstanding and amusing King William and Danny Standing (Edric) was in fine voice. The work was directed by Jan Koene and pre-Raphaelite costumes were by Hayley Spicer.
As a hors d’oeuvre the company presented a wide range of aspects of folk song, ranging from a poignant solo, through jazz piano to substantial choral numbers.
This was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Wild Edric would be a perfect piece for smaller opera groups and schools.
Richard Bullard
Louis Mander has written a folk-opera, Wild Edric, based on an ancient Shropshire fable; we gave its first performance. Wild Edric both looks back to an audience-pleasing genre of the 18th century, the ballad opera (such as The Beggars' Opera) in which dialogue was combined with popular songs, and forward - the well-known folk-songs in this opera receive a 21st-century accompaniment. The opera occupied the second half of the performance - in the first half chorus and soloists celebrated the wonderful rich heritage we have of folk songs in arrangements of them by other composers, such as Britten, Holst, Bartok and Percy Grainger.
Louis Mander has previously composed two short operas which were well reviewed, and scenes from his full-length opera The Life to Come, to a libretto by Stephen Fry based on an E M Forster short story, had just been performed to considerable acclaim at the Britten Theatre in London's Royal College of Music.
Soloists in Wild Edric were Danny Standing, Nicky Ogborn and Ned Pattenden. They were joined by the company's chorus and orchestra. Production was by Jan Koene in collaboration with Rebecca Seymour, and musical direction was by David Davies in collaboration with Louis Mander.
It received this review in the Salisbury Journal:
Wild and Wonderful
Bank Holiday Monday saw Opera at Chilmark present the world premiere of Wild Edric by Louis Mander - a magical tale of love and loss, featuring a Saxon Lord and an Elfin Maiden, set in the time of the Norman Conquest. Mander‘s interest in folk song had inspired him to write the opera as a way of linking well-loved folk songs into a coherent story. This is Opera at Chilmark’s tenth season, and what better way to celebrate this than by staging a new opera in the barn at Cleeves Farm?
The narrative, drawn from a fairy story and with a libretto by Nigel Gearing, has Edric spotting the Elfin Maiden dancing with her sisters and falling instantly in love. She agrees to marry provided he says nothing against her sisters. They are married by an imperious King William who, with the chorus, performs a wonderfully rumbustious version of The Vicar Of Bray – no historical connection with Norman times but that detracts little from the fun. The audience even joined in on the last verse. Needless to say Edric does not keep his vow and suffers the tragic consequences. The final scene ends with a most moving orchestral version of ‘Drink to me only with thine eyes’. Musical director David Davies and the orchestra excelled.
As always the Chilmark chorus performed brilliantly well and Nicky Ogborn (Elfin Maiden) sings beautifully, but was on one occasion slightly overpowered by the orchestra. Ned Pattenden was an outstanding and amusing King William and Danny Standing (Edric) was in fine voice. The work was directed by Jan Koene and pre-Raphaelite costumes were by Hayley Spicer.
As a hors d’oeuvre the company presented a wide range of aspects of folk song, ranging from a poignant solo, through jazz piano to substantial choral numbers.
This was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Wild Edric would be a perfect piece for smaller opera groups and schools.
Richard Bullard