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Behold the Sun

BBC Radio 3
on BBC Radio 3

Opera in three acts and ten scenes
Text by JOHN MCGRATH and ALEXANDER GOEHR
Music by Alexander Goehr (first performance)
Set in Munster, during the Anabaptist revolution, the opera dispassionately examines how Man's ideals are compromised by his nature. Anabaptists from Leyden: (bass-baritone) (soprano) (tenor)
(mezzo-soprano) (soprano) (baritone) (bass) (mezzo-soprano)
Prince-Bishop, defender of the faith and destroyer of the (bass) (tenor) (tenor) (bass)
In the play of Dives and Lazarus in Act 3 (tenor)
TIFFIN BOYS' CHOIR chorusmaster NEVILLE CREED BBC SINGERS chorusmaster SIMON JOLY BBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA led by BELA DEKANY
Associate conductors
SIMON JOLY and RAY HOLDEN conducted by JOHN PRITCHARD
8.35* Alexander Goehr and John Deathridge discuss the opera's genesis and form.
8.55* Act 2
9.35* David March reads from The Pursuit of the Millennium by NORMAN COHN , the book which acted as the starting point for the opera
9.45* Act 3
Producer CUVE BENNETT
9 HE
AR THIS! page 25

Contributors

Unknown:
John McGrath
Music By:
Alexander Goehr
Unknown:
Simon Joly
Conductors:
Simon Joly
Conductors:
Ray Holden
Conducted By:
John Pritchard
Conducted By:
Alexander Goehr
Conducted By:
John Deathridge
Unknown:
Norman Cohn
Producer:
Cuve Bennett
Johann Matthys:
Philup Joll
Divara, his wife and later wifeof Jan Bokelson:
Carole Farley
Jan Bokelson, later known as King John of Leyden:
Philip Langridge
Citizens of Munster: Mr Berninck, a merchant:
Peter Christoph Runge
Mrs Beminck:
Fiona Kimm
Christian, their son:
Celina Lindsley
Knipperdollink, Burgomaster of the city of Münster:
Norman Welsby
Blacksmith:
Stephen Richardson
Fishwife:
Mary Thomas
Anabaptist revolt:
John Tranter
His servant:
Harry Nicoll
Limping prophet:
Ian Caley
Captain of the Anabaptist guard:
Jeremy White
Dives:
Justin Lavender
Source: Radio Times

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Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

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