Composer

:

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1910 - 1914

Publication Date

:

1924

First Performance

:

Jul 14, 1924

Average_duration

:

82:55

Hugh the Drover is an opera composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams, with a libretto by Harold Child. The opera was composed between 1910 and 1914, and premiered on July 14, 1924, at the Royal College of Music in London. The plot of the opera is set in a small English village in the early 19th century. The main character, Hugh, is a drover who falls in love with Mary, the daughter of the local innkeeper. However, Mary is already engaged to the wealthy and arrogant John the Butcher. Hugh and Mary decide to elope, but are caught by John and his men. A fight ensues, and John is killed. Hugh is arrested and sentenced to death, but is ultimately saved by the intervention of the village parson. The opera is divided into three movements, each of which is further divided into several scenes. The first movement, titled "The Fair", introduces the main characters and sets the stage for the conflict between Hugh and John. The second movement, titled "The Fight", depicts the fight between Hugh and John, and the subsequent arrest and trial of Hugh. The third movement, titled "The Fiddler's Tune", sees Hugh saved from execution and reunited with Mary. One of the characteristics of Hugh the Drover is its use of folk music. Vaughan Williams was a collector of folk songs, and he incorporated many traditional English tunes into the score of the opera. The use of folk music gives the opera a distinctly English flavor, and helps to create a sense of place and time. Another characteristic of the opera is its use of choral music. The opera features several choral numbers, including a chorus of villagers and a hymn sung by the parson. The use of choral music adds to the sense of community and tradition that permeates the opera. Overall, Hugh the Drover is a charming and engaging opera that showcases Vaughan Williams' skill as a composer and his love of English folk music. Its premiere was well-received, and it has since become a beloved part of the English operatic repertoire.

More....