Britten Conducts Britten: Operas Vol.2 (10 CD box set, FLAC)

Performer: Alan Opie, Alfred Deller, Angela Vernon Bates, Anna Vincent, Anne Wilkens, et al.
Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra, English Opera Group Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Welsh National Opera Orchestra
Conductor: Benjamin Britten, Charles Mackerras, Steuart Bedford
Composer: Benjamin Britten
Audio CD
SPARS Code: ADD
Number of Discs: 10 CD box set
Format: FLAC (tracks+cue)
Label: Decca
Size: 2.69 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Disc: 1
01. Act 1. Introduction… Over hill, over dale
02. Act 1. Oberon is passing… Ill met by moonlight
03. Act 1. Well, go thy way
04. Act 1. How now, my love? Why is your cheek so pale?… I swear to thee, by Cupid’s strongest bow
05. Act 1. (Be it Lion, Bear or Wolf…) …I love thee not
06. Act 1. Welcome, wanderer!… I know a bank
07. Act 1. Is all our company here?
08. Act 1. Fair love, you faint with wand’ring in the wood
09. Act 1. Through the forest have I gone
10. Act 1. Stay, tho’ thou kill me, sweet Demetrius… Lysander, if you live, good sire, awake
11. Act 1. Come, now a roundel, and a fairy song
12. Act 1. You spotted snakes
13. Act 1. What thou seest when thou dost wake
14. Act 2. Introduction
15. Act 2. Are we all met?… What hempen homespuns have we swaggering here
16. Act 2. I see their knavery… What angel wakes me
17. Act 2. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman
18. Act 2. Hail, mortal, hail!
19. Act 2. I have a reas’nable good ear in music
20. Act 2. How now, mad spirit… O why rebuke you him that loves you so?…What hast thou done?

Disc: 2
01. Act 2. Flower of this purple dye… Why should you think that I should woo in scorn?…
02. Act 2. Puppet? why so?
03. Act 2. This is thy negligence… Thou see’st these lovers seek a place to fight
04. Act 2. Up and down… Where art thou, proud Demetrius?
05. Act 2. On the ground, sleep sound
06. Act 3. Scene 1. Introduction… My gentle Robin, see’st thou this sweet sight?… My Oberon, what v
07. Act 3. Scene 1. Helena! – Hermia! – Demetrius! – Lysander!
08. Act 3. Scene 1. When my cue comes, call me
09. Act 3. Scene 1. Have you sent to Bottom’s house?
10. Act 3. Scene 2. Orchestral march… Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour
11. Act 3. Scene 2. If we offend, it is with our good will
12. Act 3. Scene 2. Gentle, perchance you wonder at this show
13. Act 3. Scene 2. In this same Interlude, it doth befall
14. Act 3. Scene 2. O grim-lock’d night
15. Act 3. Scene 2. O Wall, full often hast thou heard my moans
16. Act 3. Scene 2. You Ladies, you (whose gentle hearts do fear…)
17. Act 3. Scene 2. This lanthorn doth the hornè Moon present… This is old Ninny’s tomb
18. Act 3. Scene 2. Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy sunny beams
19. Act 3. Scene 2. Come, your Bergomask
20. Act 3. Scene 2. Now the hungry lion roars… Through the house give glimmering light… Now, until

Disc: 3
01. In May, in brilliant Athens
02. Oh Gods of wrath
03. My time’s too short; your highness
04. Act 1. Scene 1. Rome is now ruled by the Etruscan upstart: Tarquinius Superbus
05. Act 1. Scene 1. It is an axion among kings, to use a foreign threat to hide a local evil
06. Act 1. Scene 1. Here the thirsty evening has drunk the wine of light
07. Act 1. Scene 1. Who reaches heaven first is the best philosopher
08. Act 1. Scene 1. Maria was unmasked at a masked ball
09. Act 1. Scene 1. Collatinus is politically astute to choose a virtuous wife
10. Act 1. Scene 1. There goes a happy man!
11. Act 1. Scene 1. Tarquinius does not dare, when Tarquinius does not desire
12. Act 1. Scene 1. My horse! My horse! / Interlude. Tarquinius does not wait for his servant to wake
13. Act 1. Scene 2. Their spinning-wheel unwinds dreams which desire has spun!
14. Act 1. Scene 2. Listen! I heard a knock… How cruel men are to teach us love!
15. Act 1. Scene 2. Time treads upon the hands of women
16. Act 1. Scene 2. The oatmeal slippers of sleep creep through the city… Open, in the name of the Pr

Disc: 4
01. Act 2. Scene 1. The prosperity of the Etruscans was due to the richness of their native soil
02. Act 2. Scene 1. She sleeps as a rose upon the night
03. Act 2. Scene 1. Within this frail crucible of light
04. Act 2. Scene 1. Lucretia! – What do you want? – You!
05. Act 2. Interlude. Here in this scene you see virtue assailed by sin
06. Act 2. Scene 2. Oh! What a lovely day!
07. Act 2. Scene 2. We’ll leave the orchids for Lucretia to arrange… Lucia, go send a messenger to my
08. Act 2. Scene 2. Flowers bring to every year the same perfection
09. Act 2. Scene 2. You were right. Tarquinius took one of the horses… Where is Lucretia?
10. Act 2. Scene 2. Lucretia! Lucretia!
11. Act 2. Scene 2. Las night Tarquinius ravished me
12. Act 2. Scene 2. This dead hand lets fall all that my heart held when full
13. Act 2. Epilogue. Is it all?

Disc: 5
01. Act 1. Prologue
02. Act 1. Theme. Scene 1. The Journey
03. Act 1. Variation 1 / Scene 2. The Welcome
04. Act 1. Variation 2 / Scene 3. The Letter
05. Act 1. Variation 3 / Scene 4. The Tower
06. Act 1. Variation 4 / Scene 5. The Window
07. Act 1. Variation 5 / Scene 6. The Lesson
08. Act 1. Variation 6 / Scene 7. The Lake
09. Act 1. Variation 7 / Scene 8. At Night

Disc: 6
01. Act 2. Variation 8 / Scene 1. Colloquy and Soliloquy
02. Act 2. Variation 9 / Scene 2. The Bells
03. Act 2. Variation 10 / Scene 3. Miss Jesse!
04. Act 2. Variation 11 / Scene 4. The Bedroom
05. Act 2. Variation 12 / Scene 5. Quint
06. Act 2. Variation 13 / Scene 6. The Piano
07. Act 2. Variation 14 / Scene 7. Flora
08. Act 2. Variation 15 / Scene 8. Miles

Disc: 7
01. Act 1. Scene 6. Naturally, Signore, I understand
02. Act 1. Scene 6. Here I will stay, here dedicate my days to the sun / Scene 7. Beneath a dazzling sk
03. Act 1. Scene 1. My mind beats on and no words come
04. Act 1. Scene 1. Who’s that? A foreigner, a traveller no doubt… Marvels unfold!
05. Act 1. Scene 2. Hey there, hey there, you!… Ho! Here comes young Casanova… Greetings, Conte!
06. Act 1. Scene 2. Serenissima, Serenissima – Low-lying clouds
07. Act 1. Scene 2. Overture: Venice
08. Act 1. Scene 3. Ah Serenissima!
09. Act 1. Scene 3. Mysterious gondola
10. Act 1. Scene 4. We are delighted to greet the Signore to our excellent hotel
11. Act 1. Scene 4. Was I wrong to come
12. Act 1. Scene 4. There is indeed in every artist’s nature / Scene 5. The wind is from the West… Ah
13. Act 1. Scene 5. (Children’s games)… Adziù! Adziù!
14. Act 1. Scene 6. Aou’! Stagando, aou!

Disc: 8
01. Act 1. Scene 7. First the race!
02. Act 1. Scene 7. The boy, Tadzio, shall inspire me
03. Act 2. Scene 7. So, it has come to this
04. Act 2. Scene 8. Guardate, Signore!
05. Act 2. Scene 9. Do I detect a scent? A sweetish medicinal cleanliness
06. Act 2. Scene 9. Careful search now leads me to them… Ah, Tadzio, Eros, Ganymede… Gustav von Asc
07. Act 2. Scene 10. This way for the players, Signori! Why are they disinfecting Venice?
08. Act 2. Scene 10. Fiorir rose in mezzo al giasso… Ah, little Tadziù, we do not laugh like the othe
09. Act 2. Scene 11. One moment, if you please… Young man, why do all these people hurry to leave?
10. Act 2. Scene 11. In these last years, Asiatic cholerea has spread
11. Act 2. Scene 12. So it is true, true, more fearful than I thought
12. Act 2. Scene 13. Receive the stranger god – No! Reject the abyss
13. Act 2. Scene 14. (The empty beach) …Do what you will with me!
14. Act 2. Scene 15. Yes, a very wise decision
15. Act 2. Scene 16. Hurrah for the Piazza
16. Act 2. Scene 16. Chaos, chaos and sickness
17. Act 2. Scene 17. The wind still blows from the land
18. Act 2. Scene 17. (On the beach) …Ah, no!

Disc: 9
01. Act 1. Scene 1. No. 1. Prelude
02. Act 1. Scene 1. No. 2. The tournament
03. Act 1. Scene 1. No. 3. Recitative and fight
04. Act 1. Scene 1. No. 4. Entrance of the Queen
05. Act 1. Scene 1. No. 5. Recitative
06. Act 1. Scene 1. No. 6. The two lords’ explanation
07. Act 1. Scene 1. No. 7. Raleigh’s song
08. Act 1. Scene 1. No. 8. Ensemble of reconciliation
09. Act 1. Scene 1. No. 9. Recitative and final march
10. Act 1. Scene 2. No. 1. Prelude and dialogue
11. Act 1. Scene 2. No. 2. The Queen’s song
12. Act 1. Scene 2. No. 3. Cecil’s song of government
13. Act 1. Scene 2. No. 4. Recitative and Essex’s entry
14. Act 1. Scene 2. No. 5. First lute song
15. Act 1. Scene 2. No. 6. Second lute song
16. Act 1. Scene 2. No. 7. The first duet for the Queen and Essex
17. Act 1. Scene 2. No. 8. Soliloquy and prayer
18. Act 2. Scene 1. No. 1. Prelude and welcome
19. Act 2. Scene 1. No. 2. The Masque
20. Act 2. Scene 1. No. 3. Finale
21. Act 2. Scene 2. No. 1. Prelude and song
22. Act 2. Scene 2. No. 2. Duet
23. Act 2. Scene 2. No. 3. Double duet
24. Act 2. Scene 2. No. 4. Quartet

Disc: 10
01. Act 2. Scene 3. No. 1. Pavane
02. Act 2. Scene 3. No. 2. Conversation
03. Act 2. Scene 3. No. 3. Galliard
04. Act 2. Scene 3. No. 4. Conversation and the Queen’s entrance
05. Act 2. Scene 3. No. 5. Lavolta
06. Act 2. Scene 3. No. 6. Conversation
07. Act 2. Scene 3. No. 7. Morris dance
08. Act 2. Scene 3. No. 8. Recitative
09. Act 2. Scene 3. No. 9. The Queen’s burlesque
10. Act 2. Scene 3. No. 10. Quartet
11. Act 2. Scene 3. No. 11. March
12. Act 2. Scene 3. No. 12. The Queen’s announcement
13. Act 2. Scene 3. No. 13. Ensemble
14. Act 2. Scene 3. No. 14. Coranto
15. Act 3. Scene 1. No. 1. Prelude and chatter
16. Act 3. Scene 1. No. 2. Essex’s intrusion
17. Act 3. Scene 1. No. 3. The second duet of the Queen and Essex
18. Act 3. Scene 1. No. 4. The dressing-table song
19. Act 3. Scene 1. No. 5. The entrance of Cecil
20. Act 3. Scene 1. No. 6. Cecil’s report
21. Act 3. Scene 1. No. 7. Discussion
22. Act 3. Scene 1. No. 8. The Queen’s decision
23. Act 3. Scene 2. Ballad – rondo
24. Act 3. Scene 3. No. 1. Prelude and verdict
25. Act 3. Scene 3. No. 2. Cecil’s warning
26. Act 3. Scene 3. No. 3. The Queen’s dilemma
27. Act 3. Scene 3. No. 4. Trio
28. Act 3. Scene 3. No. 5. Lady Essex’s pleading
29. Act 3. Scene 3. No. 6. Penelope Rich’s pleading
30. Act 3. Scene 3. No. 7. Epilogue

# A Midsummer Night’s Dream, opera, Op. 64
Composed by Benjamin Britten
Performed by London Symphony Orchestra
with Helen Watts, Keith Raggett, Josephine Veasey, John Pryer, Thomas Hemsley, Alfred Deller, Stephen Terry, Elizabeth Harwood, David Kelly, Peter Pears, Norman Lumsden, Kenneth MacDonald, Eric Alder, Heather Harper, Owen Brannigan, Richard Dakin, John Shirley-Quirk, Robert Tear, Ian Wodehouse, Gordon Clerk
Conducted by Benjamin Britten, Steuart Bedford

# Phaedra, dramatic cantata for mezzo-soprano, string orchestra, percussion & harpsichord, Op. 93 In May, in brilliant Athens
Composed by Benjamin Britten
Performed by English Chamber Orchestra
with Dame Janet Baker
Conducted by Steuart Bedford

# Phaedra, dramatic cantata for mezzo-soprano, string orchestra, percussion & harpsichord, Op. 93 Oh Gods of wrath
Composed by Benjamin Britten
Performed by English Chamber Orchestra
with Dame Janet Baker
Conducted by Steuart Bedford

# Phaedra, dramatic cantata for mezzo-soprano, string orchestra, percussion & harpsichord, Op. 93 My time’s too short; your highness
Composed by Benjamin Britten
Performed by English Chamber Orchestra
with Dame Janet Baker
Conducted by Steuart Bedford

# The Rape of Lucretia, chamber opera, Op. 37
Composed by Benjamin Britten
Performed by English Chamber Orchestra
with Heather Harper, Elizabeth Bainbridge, Jenny Hill, Benjamin Luxon, John Shirley-Quirk, Bryan Drake, Peter Pears, Dame Janet Baker
Conducted by Benjamin Britten

# Turn of the Screw, chamber opera, Op. 54
Composed by Benjamin Britten
Performed by English Opera Group Orchestra
with Arda Mandikian, David Hemmings, Olive Dyer, Joan Cross, Jennifer Vyvyan, Peter Pears
Conducted by Benjamin Britten

# Death in Venice, opera, Op. 88
Composed by Benjamin Britten
Performed by English Chamber Orchestra
with Janice Hooper Roe, Anna Vincent, Ronald Murdock, Anne Wilkens, Iris Saunders, Michael Follis, Robert Carpenter Turner, Peter Pears, Penelope MacKay, Kenneth Bowen, Neville Williams, Sheila Brand, Stephen James Adams, Angela Vernon Bates, James Bowman, John Shirley-Quirk, Michael Bauer, Peter Leeming, Stuart Harling
Conducted by Steuart Bedford

# Gloriana, opera, Op. 53
Composed by Benjamin Britten
Performed by John Stein, Welsh National Opera Orchestra
with James Miller-Coburn, Yvonne Kenny, Willard White, Christopher Cornall, Philip Langridge, Della Jones, Peter Hoare, Janice Watson, Jonathan Summers, Alan Opie, Dominic Gill, Tom Finucane, Richard van Allan, Bryn Terfel, John Mark Ainsley, John Shirley-Quirk, Jenevora Williams, Josephine Barstow
Conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras, Gareth Jones

Lesser, indeed!

How someone can refer to Rape of Lucretia and Turn of the Screw (or Midsummer Night’s Dream, for that matter, my personal favorite among his many operas) as lesser works of Britten’s is beyond me. I guess it is just a matter of taste, but especially in these performances, those who truly love Britten could hardly do wrong. Libretti lacking, but don’t let that stop you. You never know when these will go out of print again!