The vision of Cleopatra

Op. 15, cantata (Tragic poem), 1907†, original full score lost; re-orchestrated in contemporary Brian style by John Pickard 2014, 40:00

Original full score and orchestral parts lost, believed to have been destroyed in the Blitz on London in 1941. Re-orchestrated by John Pickard in 2014 using instrumental indications in the vocal score and given its premiere in Bristol on 12 March 2016 with Bristol University forces conducted by John Pickard.

Iris (soprano)
Charmion (mezzo)
Cleopatra (alto)
Antony (tenor)
large SATB chorus, semichorus SSATB
Original and Pickard re-orchestration: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns [6 ad lib], 3 trumpets [4 ad lib], 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, side drum, triangle, castanets, indian drum1, tam-tam, large cymbals, small cymbals, glockenspiel, harp, strings

  1. probably a long drum (tamburo grande) ↩︎

Text: Gerald Cumberland

Bosworth and Co. from 1987. The HB original and the Pickard orchestration are now handled by MusicSales/Novello Ltd, which took over Bosworth.

Timings

Pickard 2016Brabbins 2017
Total39:5938:05

Articles

• Contemporary review of premiere
  An insightful review from 1909 by a Southport resident
• Havergal Brian's large-scale choral works: The Vision of Cleopatra (part 1) – Neil Starling
• Havergal Brian's large-scale choral works: The Vision of Cleopatra (part 2) – Neil Starling
• Havergal Brian's large-scale choral works: The Vision of Cleopatra (part 3) – Neil Starling
• Cleopatra's Librettist – Reginald Nettel

Performances

14 October 1909 [first and only performance of the original score] Southport, UK (Southport Festival)
Maud Phillips (sop - Iris), Lillie Whiteside (mezzo - Charmian), Phillis Lett (alto - Cleopatra), John Coates (ten - Antony), Festival Chorus, Hallé Orchestra, conductor Sir Landon Ronald
• Contemporary review of premiere
8 May 1982 (Prelude) London College of Music
Peter Jacobs
12 March 2016 [Premiere of John Pickard’s re-orchestration] Victoria Rooms, Bristol
Iris - Eve Daniell (soprano), Charmion - Rachael Cox (mezzo-soprano), Cleopatra - Angharad Lyddon (contralto), Antony - Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts (tenor), University of Bristol Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, conductor John Pickard
7 July 2017 [World premiere recording] St Jude-on-the-Hill, Hamsptead, London
Claudia Boyle (Iris), Angharad Lyddon (Charmion), Claudia Huckle (Cleopatra), Peter Auty (Antony), English National Opera Orchestra & Chorus, conductor Martyn Brabbins

Recordings

Dutton Vocalion CDLX 7348 released August 2018
7 July 2017 [World premiere recording] St Jude-on-the-Hill, Hamsptead, London
Claudia Boyle (Iris), Angharad Lyddon (Charmion), Claudia Huckle (Cleopatra), Peter Auty (Antony), English National Opera Orchestra & Chorus, conductor Martyn Brabbins