About
When the Arts Council's Welsh Committee approached Grace Williams in the summer of 1959 with the offer of a commission to write a one-act opera, this was an opportunity to realise a long-cherished ambition. For her libretto, the composer turned to the French satirist Guy de Maupassant's savagely funny short story en Famille in which the apparent demise of a cantankerous matriarch uncovers the greed of family members. She wrote her own libretto for The Parlour, embellishing and refining Maupassant's story for dramatic purposes and transferring the setting from the banks of the Seine in France to the living room of a house in a Victorian seaside town. Structured in two scenes framing a brief interlude, the drama unfolds during a summer's day in 1870. The Parlour reveals Grace Williams as a natural composer for the theatre, with a flair for character delineation and development. The fast pace means there is no time for a formal overture and the drama begins without preamble. The compact arias, ensembles, recitatives and choruses arise naturally from the music, which is continuous, and there are no long numbers to inhibit the flow of the narrative. As the composer admitted, 'There's quite a lot to say in a short time. So whatever else I'll be accused of, I hardly think anyone could say that the opera drags'. At it's first performance, The Parlour was given a sustained ovation by an enthusiastic audience and there were some very good press notices. Writing in The Sunday Times, Felix Aprahamian was profuse in his admiration, describing The Parlour as 'hilarious' and 'an undoubted hit', going on to remark that 'the piece progresses with perfect clarity and a fine sense of musical contrast'. He concluded his observations by commenting that 'Miss Williams shows a remarkable feeling for musical proportion in her very first operatic essay'. © Paul Conway
Tracklist 24 tracks
-
1 Scene 1: Hie you there! (Grandmamma, Chorus, Mamma) 02:12
- Track
- 1
- Title
- Scene 1: Hie you there! (Grandmamma, Chorus, Mamma)
- Duration
- 02:12
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Edith Coates, Noreen Berry
- Ensemble
- Welsh National Opera Chorus, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
2 Scene 1: You are insupportable! (Mamma) 02:18
- Track
- 2
- Title
- Scene 1: You are insupportable! (Mamma)
- Duration
- 02:18
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Noreen Berry
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
3 Scene 1: Rosalie! Rosalie! (Mamma, Rosalie, Papa, Louisa, Augusta) 02:55
- Track
- 3
- Title
- Scene 1: Rosalie! Rosalie! (Mamma, Rosalie, Papa, Louisa, Augusta)
- Duration
- 02:55
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Noreen Berry, Marian Evans, Edward Byles, Anne Pashley, Janet Hughes
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
4 Scene 1: The children (Mamma, Papa, Louisa, Augusta) 03:08
- Track
- 4
- Title
- Scene 1: The children (Mamma, Papa, Louisa, Augusta)
- Duration
- 03:08
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Noreen Berry, Edward Byles, Anne Pashley, Janet Hughes
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
5 Scene 1: Dinner at last (Louisa, Augusta, Mamma, Papa, Rosalie) 04:21
- Track
- 5
- Title
- Scene 1: Dinner at last (Louisa, Augusta, Mamma, Papa, Rosalie)
- Duration
- 04:21
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Anne Pashley, Janet Hughes, Noreen Berry, Edward Byles, Marian Evans
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
6 Scene 1: Who'll be the first to solve the mystery? (Louisa, Augusta, Doctor Charlton, Mamma, Papa) 03:32
- Track
- 6
- Title
- Scene 1: Who'll be the first to solve the mystery? (Louisa, Augusta, Doctor Charlton, Mamma, Papa)
- Duration
- 03:32
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Anne Pashley, Janet Hughes, John Gibbs, Noreen Berry, Edward Byles
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
7 Scene 1: Won't you join us at dinner (Mamma, Doctor Charlton, Papa, Louisa, Augusta) 06:43
- Track
- 7
- Title
- Scene 1: Won't you join us at dinner (Mamma, Doctor Charlton, Papa, Louisa, Augusta)
- Duration
- 06:43
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Noreen Berry, John Gibbs, Edward Byles, Anne Pashley, Janet Hughes
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
8 Scene 1: Now don't worry (Doctor Charlton, Mamma, Augusta, Louisa, Papa) 06:30
- Track
- 8
- Title
- Scene 1: Now don't worry (Doctor Charlton, Mamma, Augusta, Louisa, Papa)
- Duration
- 06:30
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- John Gibbs, Noreen Berry, Janet Hughes, Anne Pashley, Edward Byles
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
9 Scene 1: Entr'acte: Have your heard the news? (Chorus) 03:50
- Track
- 9
- Title
- Scene 1: Entr'acte: Have your heard the news? (Chorus)
- Duration
- 03:50
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Ensemble
- Welsh National Opera Chorus, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
10 Scene 2: Look, the neighbours are coming (Mamma, Chorus) 03:06
- Track
- 10
- Title
- Scene 2: Look, the neighbours are coming (Mamma, Chorus)
- Duration
- 03:06
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Noreen Berry
- Ensemble
- Welsh National Opera Chorus, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
11 Scene 2: Thank you, one and all (Mamma, Papa, Chorus) 05:11
- Track
- 11
- Title
- Scene 2: Thank you, one and all (Mamma, Papa, Chorus)
- Duration
- 05:11
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Noreen Berry, Edward Byles
- Ensemble
- Welsh National Opera Chorus, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
12 Scene 2: It's time to start preparing supper (Mamma, Louisa, Augusta, Papa) 02:35
- Track
- 12
- Title
- Scene 2: It's time to start preparing supper (Mamma, Louisa, Augusta, Papa)
- Duration
- 02:35
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Noreen Berry, Anne Pashley, Janet Hughes, Edward Byles
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
13 Scene 2: It's getting dark (Papa, Rosalie, Mamma, Louisa, Augusta) 04:04
- Track
- 13
- Title
- Scene 2: It's getting dark (Papa, Rosalie, Mamma, Louisa, Augusta)
- Duration
- 04:04
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Edward Byles, Marian Evans, Noreen Berry, Anne Pashley, Janet Hughes
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
14 Scene 2: Mother! Mother! (Papa, Louisa, Augusta, Mamma) 02:22
- Track
- 14
- Title
- Scene 2: Mother! Mother! (Papa, Louisa, Augusta, Mamma)
- Duration
- 02:22
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Edward Byles, Anne Pashley, Janet Hughes, Noreen Berry
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
15 Scene 2: Aunt Genevieve and Uncle Steve! (Louisa, Augusta, Mamma, Papa, Aunt Genevieve, Uncle Steve) 02:05
- Track
- 15
- Title
- Scene 2: Aunt Genevieve and Uncle Steve! (Louisa, Augusta, Mamma, Papa, Aunt Genevieve, Uncle Steve)
- Duration
- 02:05
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Anne Pashley, Janet Hughes, Noreen Berry, Edward Byles, Jean Allister, David Lennox
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
16 Scene 2: I lay in a coma, a deep coma, make no mistake (Grandmamma, Aunt Genevieve, Mamma, Papa, Uncle Steve) 03:34
- Track
- 16
- Title
- Scene 2: I lay in a coma, a deep coma, make no mistake (Grandmamma, Aunt Genevieve, Mamma, Papa, Uncle Steve)
- Duration
- 03:34
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Edith Coates, Jean Allister, Noreen Berry, Edward Byles, David Lennox
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
17 Scene 2: What a sensation! (Louisa, Augusta, Uncle Steve, Mamma, Aunt Genevieve, Papa, Doctor Charlton) 01:52
- Track
- 17
- Title
- Scene 2: What a sensation! (Louisa, Augusta, Uncle Steve, Mamma, Aunt Genevieve, Papa, Doctor Charlton)
- Duration
- 01:52
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Anne Pashley, Janet Hughes, David Lennox, Noreen Berry, Jean Allister, Edward Byles, John Gibbs
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
18 Scene 2: Oh yes, you can laugh, and treat it as a joke (Grandmamma, Doctor Charlton, Uncle Steve, Mamma) 03:45
- Track
- 18
- Title
- Scene 2: Oh yes, you can laugh, and treat it as a joke (Grandmamma, Doctor Charlton, Uncle Steve, Mamma)
- Duration
- 03:45
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Edith Coates, John Gibbs, David Lennox, Noreen Berry
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
19 Scene 2: I'm sorry, you were interrupted (Papa, Uncle Steve, Aunt Genevieve, Mamma, Doctor Charlton) 02:19
- Track
- 19
- Title
- Scene 2: I'm sorry, you were interrupted (Papa, Uncle Steve, Aunt Genevieve, Mamma, Doctor Charlton)
- Duration
- 02:19
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Edward Byles, David Lennox, Jean Allister, Noreen Berry, John Gibbs
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
20 Scene 2: We accuse you, and you know the reason why (Aunt Genevieve, Uncle Steve, Mamma, Papa, Louisa, Augusta) 01:43
- Track
- 20
- Title
- Scene 2: We accuse you, and you know the reason why (Aunt Genevieve, Uncle Steve, Mamma, Papa, Louisa, Augusta)
- Duration
- 01:43
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Jean Allister, David Lennox, Noreen Berry, Edward Byles, Anne Pashley, Janet Hughes
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
21 Scene 2: Is it true? (Chorus, Papa, Uncle Steve) 01:35
- Track
- 21
- Title
- Scene 2: Is it true? (Chorus, Papa, Uncle Steve)
- Duration
- 01:35
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Edward Byles, David Lennox
- Ensemble
- Welsh National Opera Chorus, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
22 Scene 2: She's here! (Grandmamma, Chorus, Louisa, Augusta, Aunt Genevieve, Uncle Steve, Mamma, Papa) 02:19
- Track
- 22
- Title
- Scene 2: She's here! (Grandmamma, Chorus, Louisa, Augusta, Aunt Genevieve, Uncle Steve, Mamma, Papa)
- Duration
- 02:19
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Edith Coates, Anne Pashley, Janet Hughes, Jean Allister, David Lennox, Noreen Berry, Edward Byles
- Ensemble
- Welsh National Opera Chorus, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
23 Scene 2: Louisa! Augusta! To bed this instant! (Grandmamma, Aunt Genevieve, Uncle Steve) 03:02
- Track
- 23
- Title
- Scene 2: Louisa! Augusta! To bed this instant! (Grandmamma, Aunt Genevieve, Uncle Steve)
- Duration
- 03:02
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Edith Coates, Jean Allister, David Lennox
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill
-
24 Scene 2: There's no justice, all to her daughter! (Mamma, Papa) 04:14
- Track
- 24
- Title
- Scene 2: There's no justice, all to her daughter! (Mamma, Papa)
- Duration
- 04:14
- Composer
- Grace Williams
- Performer
- Noreen Berry, Edward Byles
- Ensemble
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Bryan Havell Balkwill