British composer Bernard Stevens (1916-83) based his one-act opera Shadow of the Glen on a work by Irish playwright J.M. Synge. Composed in 1978/79 after Stevens had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, the opera tells the story of the dying Dan Burke who, in order to test his wife Nora’s fidelity, feigns his death. Given the loveless state of their marriage, it’s no surprise that when two rain-soaked travelers show up seeking shelter, Nora jumps at the chance to run away with Michael, the younger man. At this point, Dan “resurrects” himself and banishes Nora from the house. She leaves, but with the older traveler (Tramp), and not Michael, who stays to drink whisky with Dan.
The music, based primarily on the Dies Irae, is very expressive, utilizing a primarily tonal language with the usual amount of dissonance for a work of its era. Although, as in most modern operas, there is little that constitutes a true singing line, Stevens’ characters are believably fleshed out, particularly Nora, who is powerfully portrayed by Della Jones. John Gibbs makes for a wonderfully irascible Dan, and Neil Mackie’s Michael is finely and passionately sung. Paul Hudson provides needed comic relief as the Tramp, and all receive excellent instrumental support from Howard Williams and the Divertimenti Orchestra.
Stevens composed The True Dark in 1974 in memory of his friend, poet Randall Swingler. Stevens responded to Swingler’s meditations on the loss of old religious certainties and the compensatory cosmic expansion of human consciousness with music that is appropriately gloomy, angry, mysterious, and at times, frenzied. Unfortunately Richard Jackson makes hash out of the vocal line with his occasionally brutish singing. He doesn’t even sound like a trained singer; on the other hand, given the state of today’s vocal instruction, maybe he does. In any event, The True Dark makes far less of an impression despite an earnest rendering of the piano part by Igor Kennaway. It also receives an inferior, cavernous-sounding recording. On the other hand, the sound for Shadow of the Glen is spectacular.
