THE B.B.C. ORCHESTRA
(Section C)
(Led by F. WEIST HILL)
Conducted by VICTOR HELY-HUTCHINSON
AT the rise of the curtain (Intrata) Pomona, goddess of fruits, and her nymphs are dis- covered in an orchard in a wood near Rome.
The sound of a hunting horn is heard (Corante).
The god Vertumnus and his train of immortals, all wearing hunting attire, enter. Vertumnus makes attempts to gain favour with Pomona, but she repulses him, and then, frightened by the bolder advances of Vertumnus and the immortals, she and her nymphs fly into the woods, Pomona with the eldest. Vertumnus watches her departure ; then, disgusted with the failure of his disguise, expresses his chagrin in a dance.
Pomona comes back timidly and expresses her sense of isolation in a dance (Pastorale).
The nymphs re-enter timidly, but are disappointed to find the hunters gone, and dance (Minuet) with melancholy. They are interrupted by the return of the immortals, who, having discarded their hunting attire, make a gentler entry this time. Pomona comes back quietly, and, unnoticed, looks on while the immortals succeed, little by little, in gaining favour with the nymphs and leading them away, one by one. At the end she is again alone.
Vertumnus returns disguised as a lady of uncertain age. He endeavours to comfort Pomona (Passacaglia). He succeeds. They go.
Divertissement (Rigadoon) danced by the nymphs and immortals.
Vertumnus, having put aside his disguise, comes back to the orchard with Pomona. They dance a pas de deux (Siciliana) expressive of their love for each other.
Joyous return of nymphs and immortals
(March). Nuptial dance. Procession. Solemn entry of Flamen Pomonalis , who gives the nuptial benediction.
(Reprinted from the score, by permission of the Oxford University Press)