A lyric drama in three acts
Libretto by GIUSEPPE ADAMI and RENATO SIMONI
Music by Puccini
Cast in order of singing:
Mandarins, wise men, imperial guard, and populace
COVENT GARDEN OPERA CHORUS
Chorus-Master,
Douglas Robinson
COVENT GARDEN ORCHESTRA Leader, Charles Taylor
Conducted by EDWARD DOWNES
Produced by Sandro Sequi
From the Royal Opera House Covent Garden
The action takes place in Peking, in legendary times
Act 1
Outside the walls of the imperial palace
A discourse by Jorge Luis Borges translated by ANTHONY KERRIGAN read by ANTHONY JACOBS
This, the second work by this major Argentinian writer to be broadcast, presents an image of the universe as a library, infinitely extended in all directions, containing somewhere among its volumes the key to its understanding.
Act 2
Scene 1: A pavilion in the imperial palace
Scene 2: The great court of the palace
†Professor ELY DEVONS of the London School of Economics tilts at a few sacred cows
Act 3
Fcene 1: The palace gardens
Scene 2: The great court of the imperial palace
FRANK O'CONNOR introduces a second selection from his translations of Gaelic poetry Singer,
AEDIN Nt CHOILEAIN
Recorded at the Dublin studios of Radio Eireann
Organ Concerto No. in B flat major played by KARL RICHTER (organ) with the KARL RICHTER
CHAMBER ORCHESTRA on a gramophone record
