Page 97 - Media Coverage Book - 75th Aldeburgh Festival 2024

Jonathan Reekie while his successor, Roger Wright, who has been at the crease enjoying a terrific
innings for the past decade, retires after this festival.

The 2019 festival presented the UK première of the chamber opera The Hunting Gun by Thomas
Larcher [see Tony's review], based on a best-selling post-war Japanese novella by Yasushi Inoue
surrounding a universal story of deception of others and, indeed, of ourselves. A work of depth and
passion, it raised considerable interest all round for this Austrian-born composer therefore I’m glad to
see him back this year offering Aldeburgh the UK première of his most recent work Unerzählt
(Untold), a 20-minute piece featuring South Tyrol-born baritone, Andrè Schuen, accompanied by
Julius Drake.

Forming the backbone of the festival are four featured artists comprising composer Unsuk Chin, cellist
Alban Gerhardt, violinist Daniel Pioro and composer Judith Weir while this year’s festival will also
reflect on its rich heritage offering a host of events to recreate significant moments in its illustrious
history.

A strong, rich and varied programme offers an exciting mix of opera, orchestras, choirs, singers,
dance and chamber-music ensembles delivering a range of thrilling and exciting concerts ranging
from medieval to contemporary music while a visual arts programme offers a nice contrast to the
performing side of events.

For instance, renowned conceptual artist, Cerith Wyn Evans, will light up the Dovecote Studios with a
neon installation which takes inspiration from his relationship with Japanese Noh Theatre thereby
complementing well a new production of Britten’s Curlew River set to a libretto by William Plomer and
first performed 60 years ago (13th June 1964) at the church of St Bartholomew, Orford, by the English
Opera Group, directed by Colin Graham.

This was the first of Britten’s three ‘Parables’ for church performance based on the Japanese Noh
play, Sumidagawa (Sumida River) by Kanze Jūrō (1395-1431), which Britten saw during a visit to
Japan and the Far East in early 1956.

TThe second of the ‘Parable’ operas The Burning Fiery Furnace came in 1966 followed by The
Prodigal Son in 1968 - all with libretti by Plomer. I attended all three première performances at Orford
and the experience of seeing them all together at a much-later festival (2013 to be precise) by
Mahogany Opera/Aurora Orchestra with Roger Vignoles, music director/accompanist, directed by
Frederic Wake-Walker, is still indelibly imprinted on my mind

Beyond the Noh source dramatic material, Britten incorporated elements of Noh treatment of
theatrical time into this composition. In fact, Curlew River marked a departure in style for the
remainder of the composer’s creative life paving the way for such works as Owen
Wingrave and Death in Venice as well as the Third String Quartet.

Another interesting music-art collaboration fuses renowned British artist Rachel Jones and soprano
and acclaimed Messiaen interpreter, Gweneth Ann Rand, who’ll perform all three of the composer’s
great song-cycles beginning with Harawi: Chant d’amour et de mort complemented by Jones’
animated painting projections which will form a dazzling backdrop to the performances.

However, if the ‘Wooden O’ in Shakespeare’s Henry V couldn’t hold the vast fields of France neither
can I hold the vast array of programme matter in this compact feature that makes the Aldeburgh
Festival one of great importance to locals and visitors alike! Therefore, do check out their
website https://brittenpearsarts.org/ for a detailed blow-by-blow account of what’s on offer (there’s a
lot!) and, hopefully, you’ll decamp to the Suffolk coast for a musical feast! And, if it takes your fancy,
enjoy a nice fish supper from Aldeburgh’s famed fish-and-chip shop in the High Street. That’s a feast
wrapped up all in itself!

One last thought: the wisdom of books, the wisdom of music, the wisdom of art, are all employed and
entwined within the wonderful Snape Maltings complex that Lowestoft-born Britten (who served as
President of the Norfolk & Norwich Music Club for many years) dearly loved so much.