The Prodigal Son (Britten)

"The Prodigal Son" is an opera by Benjamin Britten with a libretto by William Plomer. Based on the Biblical story of the Prodigal Son, this was Britten's third "parable for church performance", after "Curlew River" and "The Burning Fiery Furnace". Britten dedicated the score to Dmitri Shostakovich.

The first performance took place on 10 June 1968 in Orford Church, Suffolk. [David Matthews, "Britten's "The Prodigal Son" "Tempo", pp. 28-30 (1968).] The instrumentalists included the percussionist James Blades. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,296880,00.html David Corkhill, Obituary: "James Blades: His skills as a percussionist enthused a generation", "The Guardian" (London), 29 May 1999.] ] Colin Graham was the stage director. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,2053228,00.html Alan Blyth, Obituary: "Colin Graham: Opera director who worked with Britten and premiered many new works in the US", "The Guardian" (London), 10 April 2007.] ]

As with the other church parables, the instrumental forces are very modest: flute, horn, viola, double bass, harp, organ and percussion, with the use of the alto flute and small trumpet in D marking changes compared to the other works. The percussion also incorporates a gourd rattle. [cite journal | url=http://oq.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/citation/4/3/178 | last=Thomas | first=Christopher J. | title=The Church Parables | journal=The Opera Quarterly | volume=4 | issue=3 | pages=178-184 | date=1986 | accessdate=2008-05-01]

Roles

ynopsis

The story centers on a farm family, which consists of a father and his two sons. Servants also help with working the land. The elder son and the servants leave to work the fields for the day. The younger son hears a voice that tempts him to indulge his "most secret longings". The younger son asks his father for his inheritance, which the father grants. The younger son makes his way to the city. There, he is deprived of his fortune and left penniless. The younger son then returns home and asks his father's forgiveness. His father receives his younger son with rejoicing, but the elder son is initially angry at his father's reaction, after he himself has loyally worked the fields. The father rebukes his elder son, and asks him to be reconciled to his younger brother, who has returned to restore the family.

elected recordings

Britten himself and Viola Tunnard directed the first recording of the work, for the Decca label (original listing, Decca SET 438), with the original cast and performers. [Patricia Howard, Review of recording of Britten: "The Prodigal Son". "Musical Times", pp. 899, 901 (1970).] The full cast of singers is as follows:
* Tempter/Abbot: Peter Pears
* The Father: John Shirley-Quirk
* The Younger Son: Robert Tear
* The Elder Son: Bryan Drake
* Chorus of Servants, Parasites and Beggars: Paschal Allen, Carl Duggan, David Hartley, Philip Hooper, Peter Leeming, John McKenzie, Clive Molloy, Paul Wade
* Young Servants and Distant Voices: Gerald Beauchamp, Michael Butler, Jonathan Fox, Richard Hopkins, David Rookwood

References

External links

[http://www.brittenpears.org/?page=britten/repertoire/opera/prodigal.html Britten-Pears Foundation, page on "The Prodigal Son"]

ource

*"Viking Opera Guide" ed. Holden (Viking, 1993)