|
|
|
This web page is a presentation of a work in progress. At this point, I have composed
the bulk of the opera. What remains is an aria for Gaveston in Act II, an epilogue
for Edward III, and lots of editing. I am working on finding the text (or finding
someone to write it) for the 2 uncomposed sections.
|
The piece falls into two major sections:
- Acts I & II - "Gaveston's Cross"
- Acts III & IV - "The death of Edward"
Acts I & II were composed while I was living in Newcastle upon Tyne, England
(very near one of the locations - Tynemouth). At this time, I was fighting the Conservative
Home Office to stay in England with my English partner and I found the subject of
Marlowe's play particularly appropriate.
|
|
Act III, scene i was composed after we moved to Houston, Texas and scene ii was
composed in Norman, Oklahoma.
|
|
Act IV was composed in San Francisco, California.
|
|
"Gaveston's Cross" spans the years 1307 - 1312, "The death of Edward"
1312 - 1327 (1330).
|
|
King EDWARD II
|
high baritone
|
23 years old at the beginning of the opera; 43 at his death. Tall, strong
|
|
Queen ISABELLA, his wife
|
soprano
|
Between 12 and 16 years old at the beginning of the opera
|
|
PRINCE Edward, their son, later EDWARD III
|
|
Born 1312 - 14 years old at his father's "abdication"
|
|
Piers de GAVESTON, the king's favourite
|
tenor
|
Younger son of a Béarnais knight, raised in Edward's household
|
|
Edmund Earl of KENT, the king's brother
|
tenor
|
|
Roger MORTIMER of Wigmore
|
counter-tenor (or mezzo)
|
|
(Hugh le Despenser) SPENCER
|
bass
|
|
EARLS / BISHOPS / MESSENGER /
HERALD / LIGHTBORN, etc.
|
men's chorus
|
|
SOLDIERS / DANCERS
|
danced rôles
|
|
In the tables below, you will find links to RealText presentations of each of the
scenes for Acts I - III. With these files, you will be able to hear the music while
you are following the text that would be sung. These RealText files require the
RealPlayer. You will also find regular RealAudio files for these
scenes.
Download the RealPlayer here:
|
|
Act I
|
Act II
|
|
Scene i - RealText - or
RealAudio (duration 15:43.6)
|
Scenes i & ii - RealText - or RealAudio (duration 27:01.9)
|
|
London (1307) - After the death of Edward I, Gaveston joyfully
returns from exile in France
|
Tynemouth - Gaveston returns again. Mortimer's opposition becomes more defiant -
Gaveston introduces Spencer to the king.
Kent joins Mortimer and Isabella to rid England of Gaveston - (1312) Edward
and Gaveston flee Tynemouth separately - Blacklow Hill - Gaveston is captured
and executed.
|
|
Scene ii - RealText - or
RealAudio (duration 15:20.0)
|
|
London (1308) - Coronation scene
- The Prince of Wales is crowned Edward II - Edward is forced to return Gaveston
to exile - (1309) Isabella convinces Mortimer and his followers to once again
recall Gaveston
|
|
Act III
|
Act IV
|
|
Scene i - RealText - or
RealAudio (duration 14:22.8)
|
RealText - or RealAudio
|
|
Dance of Spencer's men - Edward executes those found guilty
of Gaveston's murder - Spencer's power over the king grows - (1325) Isabella,
Mortimer, and Kent join forces in France
|
(1327) - The king is dragged from place to place, finally ending up at Berkeley Castle.
Edward laments his current state. Mortimer plots the king's death, and sends an
assasin (Lightborn) with an unpunctuated written order (read one way, it is an order
to kill the king, another to spare him) instructing him to leave no outward sign
that the king has been murdered. Isabella wavers, but decides that nothing else
can be done. Edward confronts his assasin and in his misery recalls Gaveston and
Spencer. Edward is cruelly murdered
|
|
Scene ii - RealText - or
RealAudio (duration 15:07.5)
|
|
(1326) Isabella and Mortimer return to England with an army - Kent regrets his betrayal
of Edward - Edward and Spencer flee but are captured - Spencer is executed - Isabella
and Mortimer rejoice - Edward gives up his crown.
|
| Libretto (pdf) |
Send comments to Scott Eric Smith
|
|
|