Located in the UK
Located in the USA
Located in Europe
- John Joubert
In the Drought (1955)
- Novello & Co Ltd (World)
- 1111/1000/timp.perc/pf/str(1.1.1.1.1)
- 10 Voices
- 40 min
- Adolph Wood
- English
Programme Note
John Joubert: In the Drought
Music John Joubert
Libretto Adolf Wood
"My one-act opera In the Drought was composed during the summer and autumn of 1954. It is my second opera, my first being a radio opera based on the Antigone of Sophocles, produced on the BBC Home Service earlier in the same year. The libretto, based on a play by J. de Plessis, is by Adolf Wood, a South African writer and friend of mind now living in London. The opera was requested by Erik Chisholm, who at that time ran an enterprising opera school at the South African College of Music, Cape Town, and who deserves a niche in the history of opera as the first man to produce Berlioz's The Trojans in these islands in Glasgow during the 1930's. Erik Chisholm, however, never liked the opera and never produced it, though he made ample amends later by giving the world premiere of my first full-length opera Silas Marner. The first production of In the Drought was given in Johannesburg in 1958, and it was soon after given in London by the New Opera Company at Sadler's Wells Theatre. It is scored for a chamber ensemble of wind quintet, string quintet, piano, timpani and percussion."
© John Joubert
The opera consists of four scenes played continuously with no break of curtain. The set represents a plainly furnished living room of a Cape Dutch farmhouse in the late 19th century. There exists a period of drought and many sheep are dying.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS
As the opera opens, Elsie, the young wife of Jakobus Rey, is anxiously awaiting her lover Harry Mitchell, an English prospector. When he arrives he pleads with her to go away with him but Elsie both fears and pities her husband, and the bible, lying on the table, is a constant reminder that she is breaking God's law. The lovers are interrupted by Elsie's cousin Ottilie and Harry leaves. Ottilie wants Jakobus Rey to hear of his wife's unfaithfulness and threatens Elsie with God's judgement. She is joined by other members of the family and the Predikant, a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. Jakobus is sent for and informed by the Predikant that their prayers for rain have not been answered because of the evil that exists in the house. Karel, Jakobus' brother-in-law is called upon to give evidence against Elsie. When Elsie is unable to swear her innocence on the Bible, the Predikant and family leave Jakobus Rey to deal with the situation. Jakobus prepares to hand over the farm to his nephew and makes Elsie swear to give up Harry. The opera ends with Jakobus' attempt to blot out the incident from his family's record and the drought is broken.
Music John Joubert
Libretto Adolf Wood
"My one-act opera In the Drought was composed during the summer and autumn of 1954. It is my second opera, my first being a radio opera based on the Antigone of Sophocles, produced on the BBC Home Service earlier in the same year. The libretto, based on a play by J. de Plessis, is by Adolf Wood, a South African writer and friend of mind now living in London. The opera was requested by Erik Chisholm, who at that time ran an enterprising opera school at the South African College of Music, Cape Town, and who deserves a niche in the history of opera as the first man to produce Berlioz's The Trojans in these islands in Glasgow during the 1930's. Erik Chisholm, however, never liked the opera and never produced it, though he made ample amends later by giving the world premiere of my first full-length opera Silas Marner. The first production of In the Drought was given in Johannesburg in 1958, and it was soon after given in London by the New Opera Company at Sadler's Wells Theatre. It is scored for a chamber ensemble of wind quintet, string quintet, piano, timpani and percussion."
© John Joubert
The opera consists of four scenes played continuously with no break of curtain. The set represents a plainly furnished living room of a Cape Dutch farmhouse in the late 19th century. There exists a period of drought and many sheep are dying.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS
As the opera opens, Elsie, the young wife of Jakobus Rey, is anxiously awaiting her lover Harry Mitchell, an English prospector. When he arrives he pleads with her to go away with him but Elsie both fears and pities her husband, and the bible, lying on the table, is a constant reminder that she is breaking God's law. The lovers are interrupted by Elsie's cousin Ottilie and Harry leaves. Ottilie wants Jakobus Rey to hear of his wife's unfaithfulness and threatens Elsie with God's judgement. She is joined by other members of the family and the Predikant, a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. Jakobus is sent for and informed by the Predikant that their prayers for rain have not been answered because of the evil that exists in the house. Karel, Jakobus' brother-in-law is called upon to give evidence against Elsie. When Elsie is unable to swear her innocence on the Bible, the Predikant and family leave Jakobus Rey to deal with the situation. Jakobus prepares to hand over the farm to his nephew and makes Elsie swear to give up Harry. The opera ends with Jakobus' attempt to blot out the incident from his family's record and the drought is broken.