Page 127 - Gonzaga in the 1970s
P. 127
The third in the cycle, ‘Aghast at
the Wedding’, was first performed
in January 1978.
This opera repeated another of the
characters made particularly
memorable by their signature songs
– the headwaiter and his musical
account of the menu ‘Saltimbocca
alla Romana . . .ʼ; a reflection of the
composer’s delight in and
encyclopaedic knowledge of the
food of the countries he loves, certainly, but also typical of even
classical opera’s delight in treating, almost absurdly, in ‘lists’:
Mozart’s Don Juan’s catalogue of his victims, for example. In
‘Double Check’, which followed in 1979, a collection of
unpronounceable Russian names describes the rail itinerary to the
fictitious Anastasia, and the moves of a chess game are
memorably set to music.
In both operas, the part of the headwaiter was played by
Gerry Whelan (1978), memorable as much for his Cleese-like
length of leg as for his vocal prowess.
One of the songs that every Fifth Year opera hopeful
longed to sing, guaranteed an encore as it was, occurs in the
fourth opera, ‘Double Check’ (January 1979). Written six years
after American Bobbyischer F
sensationally ended Russian dominance
of the World Chess Championship by
beating Boris Spassky, it entertains the
delightful fantasy that major international
conflict might be decided over the chess
board – each side providing a single
champion, in David-and-Goliath style, to
avert the carnage of thousands. The first
to perform the axe song of the woodcutter
Bela and the axe salesman Tibor were
Peter Cullen and Colm O’Loughlin.
The programme cover (above) has the wrong date inscribed – for 1978, read 1979
126
the Wedding’, was first performed
in January 1978.
This opera repeated another of the
characters made particularly
memorable by their signature songs
– the headwaiter and his musical
account of the menu ‘Saltimbocca
alla Romana . . .ʼ; a reflection of the
composer’s delight in and
encyclopaedic knowledge of the
food of the countries he loves, certainly, but also typical of even
classical opera’s delight in treating, almost absurdly, in ‘lists’:
Mozart’s Don Juan’s catalogue of his victims, for example. In
‘Double Check’, which followed in 1979, a collection of
unpronounceable Russian names describes the rail itinerary to the
fictitious Anastasia, and the moves of a chess game are
memorably set to music.
In both operas, the part of the headwaiter was played by
Gerry Whelan (1978), memorable as much for his Cleese-like
length of leg as for his vocal prowess.
One of the songs that every Fifth Year opera hopeful
longed to sing, guaranteed an encore as it was, occurs in the
fourth opera, ‘Double Check’ (January 1979). Written six years
after American Bobbyischer F
sensationally ended Russian dominance
of the World Chess Championship by
beating Boris Spassky, it entertains the
delightful fantasy that major international
conflict might be decided over the chess
board – each side providing a single
champion, in David-and-Goliath style, to
avert the carnage of thousands. The first
to perform the axe song of the woodcutter
Bela and the axe salesman Tibor were
Peter Cullen and Colm O’Loughlin.
The programme cover (above) has the wrong date inscribed – for 1978, read 1979
126
