Miss Julie (Alwyn)

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This article is about the opera by William Alwyn. For other works, see Miss Julie (disambiguation).

Miss Julie is an opera by William Alwyn with a libretto by the composer, based on the play Miss Julie by Swedish playwright August Strindberg. The opera was premiered as a BBC broadcast in 1977, from the Lyrita studio recording made for the occasion.[1] More recently, the opera was performed at the Norwich Triennial Festival in October 1997.

One addition that Alwyn made to the Strindberg original was the creation of the character of Ulrik, the gamekeeper.

Contents

[edit] Roles

[edit] Synopsis

The action is set on an estate of a Swedish count, during Midsommarafton (Midsummer's Eve). The count's daughter, Miss Julie, is attracted to her father's valet, Jean, in spite of the differences in their social stations. Jean is nominally involved romantically with the estate's cook, Kristin. The sexual tension between Miss Julie and Jean builds to the point where they consummate their relationship one evening. Miss Julie has dreams of her and Jean escaping from the estate to live their lives together, but the differences between their social classes are too much to overcome. At one point, Ulrik, the gamekeeper, shoots Miss Julie's dog. Jean eventually turns harshly on Miss Julie, to the point where he tells her to slit her wrists, as her mother had committed suicide prior. The opera ends as Miss Julie leaves the scene, presumably to take her own life.

[edit] Recording

[edit] References

  1. ^ Meirion Bowen. "Obituary for Vilem Tausky", The Guardian, 19 March 2004. Retrieved on 2007-09-08. 
  2. ^ Rickards, Guy (June 1993). Tempo (New Ser.), 185: pp. 47-48.
  3. ^ Raymond Ericson. "Neglected British Operas Are Heard", New York Times, 23 September 1984. Retrieved on 2007-09-08. 

[edit] External links