Owen Wingrave

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Owen Wingrave (Op. 85) is an opera in two acts by Benjamin Britten, with a libretto by Myfanwy Piper after a short story by Henry James. BBC television commissioned an opera from Britten in 1966, and in 1968 he and Piper started working on the libretto, and the work was completed by August 1970. Britten had been aware of the story since his work on a previous opera, The Turn of the Screw, also based on a Henry James story of the same name. Britten originally intended the work for both television and the stage, although it is rarely seen in either medium. The premier was recorded at Snape Maltings in November 1970 and first broadcast in May 1971. The music is influenced by Britten's interest in 12-tone serialist techniques. London's Royal Opera House will perform the work in an uncommon revival in the April of 2007, in the Linbury Theatre Studio.

[edit] Roles

Character Owen Wingrave Spencer Coyle Lechmere Miss Wingrave Mrs Coyle Mrs Julian Kate General Sir Philip Wingrave Narrator Chorus Orchestra

Voice part baritone bass-baritone tenor dramatic soprano soprano soprano mezzo-soprano tenor tenor

Original cast Benjamin Luxon John Shirley-Quirk Nigel Douglas Sylvia Fisher Heather Harper Jennifer Vyvyan Janet Baker Peter Pears Peter Pears Wandsworth School Boys Choir English Chamber Orchestra

[edit] References

Arnold Whittall. "Owen Wingrave", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (accessed May 7, 2006), grovemusic.com (subscription access). Britten-Pears Foundation