English Opera Group
| Company type | Ensemble / Opera company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music / Opera |
| Founded | 1947 |
| Founder | Benjamin Britten, John Piper, Eric Crozier, Anne Wood |
| Defunct | 1980 |
| Fate | Renamed to English Music Theatre Company; dissolved in 1980 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Key people | Benjamin Britten, John Piper, Eric Crozier, Anne Wood, Colin Graham (director of productions), Steuart Bedford (musical director) |
| Products | Operatic performances and productions, mainly British operas and chamber operas |
The English Opera Group was established in 1947 as a British ensemble of musicians by composer Benjamin Britten, alongside John Piper, Eric Crozier, and Anne Wood. Its primary mission was to showcase operatic compositions by Britten and other mainly British composers. Over time, the company broadened its scope to include larger productions and was subsequently renamed the English Music Theatre Company. The organization concluded its activities with its final opera in 1980.
English Opera Group
Following his departure from Sadler's Wells Opera in 1945 due to internal disagreements, Britten joined forces with vocalists Joan Cross, Anne Wood, and Peter Pears, as well as designer Piper and producer Crozier, to create the English Opera Group.[1] The company’s purpose was to premiere Britten’s operatic works and present other predominantly British chamber operas.[2] Their initial endeavor involved debuting Britten’s chamber opera Albert Herring and staging tours of The Rape of Lucretia throughout Britain and parts of Europe. Additionally, they commissioned Lennox Berkeley’s composition of the Stabat Mater. Although receiving financial support, the expenses associated with touring proved excessive, motivating the group to establish a permanent venue—this led to the inception of the Aldeburgh Festival in 1948.[2][3]
The first opera commissioned by the group, The Sleeping Children by Brian Easdale, premiered in 1951.[4] In 1957, it staged the North American premiere of Britten’s The Turn of the Screw at the Stratford Festival in Canada.[5] Beyond Britten’s compositions, the company commissioned eleven operas from British composers and introduced Francis Poulenc’s Les mamelles de Tirésias to British audiences in 1958. Its repertoire also included revivals of earlier works such as Acis and Galatea, The Beggar's Opera, Idomeneo, Iolanta, La rondine, Trial by Jury, along with pieces by Henry Purcell and Gustav Holst.[2]
In 1961, management responsibilities were assumed by the Royal Opera, London. A decade later, in 1971, Steuart Bedford took on the role of musical director while Colin Graham became director of productions.[3]
English Music Theatre Company
By 1975, the ensemble had expanded its focus to include operettas and musicals alongside traditional opera. It performed at events such as the Aldeburgh Festival, toured various regions, and maintained annual seasons at London's Sadler's Wells Theatre. Under the leadership of founder Colin Graham, significant productions included the 1976 staging of The Threepenny Opera by Kurt Weill, conducted by Simon Rattle. Other notable works from that year encompassed Paul Bunyan, The Turn of the Screw, Cinderella, and a production titled Sandrina's Secret based on La finta giardiniera, all conducted by Steuart Bedford. The company ultimately dissolved following its last production in 1980, which was Britten’s A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Operas Debuted (excluding Britten)
| Year | Opera | Composer |
| 1951 | Brian Easdale | |
| 1954 | A Dinner Engagement | Lennox Berkeley |
| 1956 | Ruth | Lennox Berkeley |
| 1964 | English Eccentrics | Malcolm Williamson |
| 1967 | The Bear | William Walton |
| Castaway | Lennox Berkeley |
| Year | Opera | Composer |
| 1968 | Punch and Judy | Harrison Birtwistle |
| 1969 | Purgatory | Gordon Crosse (composed 1966) |
| The Grace of Todd | Gordon Crosse | |
| 1972 | The Visitors | John Gardner |
| 1974 | Thea Musgrave |
English Music Theatre Company
| Year | Opera | Composer |
| 1976 | Tom Jones | Stephen Oliver |
| 1978 | La Cubana | Hans Werner Henze (composed 1973) |
| Transformations | Conrad Susa | |
| 1979 | An Actor's Revenge | Minoru Miki |
Notable Past Members
- Janet Baker
- James Bowman
- Owen Brannigan
- Joan Cross
- Eric Crozier
- Nancy Evans
- Kathleen Ferrier
- Sylvia Fisher
- Colin Graham
- Heather Harper
- Della Jones
- Thomas Lawlor
- Norman Lumsden
- Benjamin Luxon
- Peter Pears
- Anthony Rolfe Johnson
- John Shirley-Quirk
- Robert Tear
- Jennifer Vyvyan
- Olive Zorian
References
Notes
Sources
- Matthews, David (2003). Britten. Haus Publishing.
- Seymour, Claire (2007). The Operas of Benjamin Britten: Expression and Evasion. Boydell Press.
- White, Eric Walter (1983). Benjamin Britten, His Life and Operas. University of California Press.
External links
- ↑ Gilbert, p. 107
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Rosenthal, Harold. English Opera Group in Sadie, vol. 2, p. 52
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Britten-Pears Foundation. The English Opera Group and English Music Theatre Company archive. Accessed 9 June 2011
- ↑ 'Brian Easdale', Jennifervyvyan.org
- ↑ J. Alan B. Somerset. 1991. The Stratford Festival Story, 1st edition. Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-27804-4