1838-1875 Ivan IV
Opera in five acts. the last act completed by HENRI BUSSER
Libretto by LEROY and TRIANON (sung in French)
Winton Dean introduces the most complete performance of Bizet's first large-scale opera ever given. More than 50 minutes of music from the original score can be heard for the first time. The opera, set in the 1580s, tells how Ivan the Terrible fell in love and married the daughter of the King of Caucasia, and how her brother and father attempted to rescue her from his clutches. \
Other parts sung by DENIS NELSON (baSS) and PETER WALKER (baritone) BBC NORTHERN SINGERS chorus-master
STEPHEN WILKINSON
BBC NORTHERN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. led by ANDREW ORTON conducted by BRYDEN 'THOMSON Repetiteur JONATHAN HINDEN Producer ERNEST WARBURTON
(John Brecknock broadcasts by permission of the English National Opera) Acts 1 and 2 3.35* Winton Dean compares and introduces performances of the three different settings Bizet made of Ivan's second act war song
3.50* Ivan IV Act 3
4.15* Winton Dean tells the strange history of Bizet's opera.
4.35* Ivan IV Act 4
5.25* Henri Busser , who completed the score for publication. made many alterations to the opera. WINTON DEAN discusses them.
5.35* Ivan IV Act 5