The Prodigal Son (Britten)
The Prodigal Son is an opera by Benjamin Britten with a libretto by William Plomer. Based on the Biblical story of the Prodigal Son, this was Britten's third "parable for church performance", after Curlew River and The Burning Fiery Furnace. Britten dedicated the score to Dmitri Shostakovich.
The first performance took place on 10 June 1968 in Orford Church, Suffolk. The instrumentalists included the hornist Neill Sanders and the percussionist James Blades. Colin Graham was the stage director.
As with the other church parables, the instrumental forces are very modest: flute, horn, viola, double bass, harp, organ and percussion, with the use of the alto flute and small trumpet in D marking changes compared to the other works. The percussion also incorporates a gourd rattle.
Read more about The Prodigal Son (Britten): Roles, Synopsis, Recordings, References
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