Opéra de chambre en un prologue et un acte. Une histoire de fantôme raconter de la disparition mystérieuse de trois gardiens de phare dans les Hébrides.Ceci est une histoire de mystère dans la forme d'un opéra de chambre. Le prologue est défini comme un tribunal d'enquête sur la disparition inexpliquée de trois gardiens d'un phare. Des questions sont posées par un cor solo, ce qui peut paraître parmi l'auditoire, et trois officiers de donner une réponse. Progressivement, ils se déplacent d'un témoignage directement dans imaginations fantastiques du mal lors d'une 'flashback' pour le phare, mais ensuite nous remettre très vite à la salle d'audience.Dans l'acte principal des trois chanteurs deviennent les gardiens disparu. Ils ont été ensemble pendant des mois, assez longtemps pour être pleinement conscients des uns et des autres faiblesses- querelles mesquines suggèrent une relation qui est stable, mais susceptibles de devenir hautement instables à tout moment. Ils chantent des chansons pour réduire la tension, Blazes commençant par une ballade grossière de la violence des rues, accompagnée par le violon et le banjo. Chanson de sable, avec violoncelle et out-of-piano désaccordé debout, est une description à peine déguisée de béatitude sexuelle, et d'Arthur avec cuivres et clarinettes, est un hymne démagogique. Mais les chansons ne servent que de ressusciter les fantômes dans leurs esprits du passé, et que le brouillard descend chacun des gardiens devient convaincu qu'il est réclamé par la Bête. Ils se préparent à répondre à ses yeux éblouissants, qui deviennent les lumières du bateau de secours, et les trois hommes réapparaissent comme des officiers, réunis au phare que par une infestation de rats. Ils partent, et à la fin des dernières heures de flammes, de sable et Arthur commence à jouer de nouveau.Study Score. Durée c. 1h 25min. / Scores

A ghost story telling of the mysterious disappearance of three lighthouse keepers in the Hebrides. This is a mystery story in the form of a chamber opera. The prologue is set as a court of enquiry into the unexplaineddisappearance of the three keepers from a lighthouse. Questions are posed by a solo horn which may sound from among the audience and three officers give answer. Gradually they move from straight testimony into fantasticalimaginings of evil during a 'flashback' to the lighthouse; but then we snap back to the courtroom. In the main act the three singers become the vanished keepers. They have been together for months long enough to be fullyaware of each other's weaknesses; petty bickerings suggest a relationship which is stable but liable to become highly unstable at any moment. They sing songs to reduce the tension Blazes beginning with a rough ballad of streetviolence accompanied by violin and banjo. Sandy's song with cello and out-of-tune upright piano is a thinly disguised description of sexual bliss and Arthur's with brass and clarinet is a tub-thumping hymn. But the songsserve only to resurrect in their minds ghosts from the past and as the fog descends each of the keepers becomes convinced that he is being claimed by the Beast. They prepare to meet its dazzling eyes which become the lights ofthe relief vessel and the three men reappear as officers met at the lighthouse only by an infestation of rats. They leave and at the end the last hours of Blazes Sandy and Arthur begin to play over again.Vocal score withpiano reduction of the instrumental score. Duration c. 1h 25mins.

A chamber opera in one act for soprano tenor baritone and bass soli TTBB chorus and orchestra commissioned for the Wells 800 Celebration in 1982. Libretto by Peter Porter. Vocal score with piano reduction. Duration: c. 55minutes.Orpheus is a Chamber Opera or perhaps more properly might be described as an ‘Opera-Cantata’. It is designed to be performed as a short opera fully staged and costumed or as a concert piece. Either way itsstructure is dramatic rather than reflective. It tells the story of Orpheus probably the most familiar story in music and en emblem of their art for composers of all periods as a direct narrative. Since the legend is set inthe world of pagan mythology it has been lightly Christianised for its Church setting. The Aeneid has often been seen as speaking of Christ avant la lettre and Renaissance Humanists were always willing to identify forerunnersof Christian types in Classical personages: in this manner Orpheus pursues without undue emphasis musical parallels with St Francis St Cecilia and even Adam and Eve.The work is framed briefly by a prologue and epilogue. ThePrologue introduces the four solo singers Hades (bass) Orpheus (tenor) Eurydice (soprano) and Charon (baritone). It also introduces the chorus who do not only portray at various stages Orpheus’s wedding companions thedenizens of Hell and Blessed Spirits in the Elysian Fields but also comments on the action as it proceeds.