Bluebeard's Castle (Complete Opera) by Béla Bartók, Antal Dorati, London Symphony, Olga Szönyi, Mihaly Szekely, released on Mercury in 1963.

Duke Bluebeard's Castle (Hungarian: A kékszakállú herceg vára, literally The Blue-Bearded Duke's Castle) is a one-act Symbolist opera by composer Béla Bartók to a Hungarian libretto by his friend and poet Béla Balázs. Bartók's only opera, it is based on the French folk legend, or conte populaire, as told by Charles Perrault, it lasts about an hour and deploys just two singing characters: Bluebeard (Kékszakállú) and his newest wife Judith (Judit); the two have just eloped and she is coming home to his castle for the first time. - Wikipedia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFhCxC0rrNw&list=RDOFhCxC0rrNw&start_radio=1

#BelaBartok #LondonSymphony #Opera #ClassicalMusic #BlueBeardsCastle #Music

Bartok's one act opera is such a powerful work; I'd love to see this production.

In general, I wonder if the staging and creation of more one act or less than 90 minute works could help bring in new and younger audiences for opera.

Duke Bluebeard’s Castle review – erotic, unsettling and beautifully staged | Opera | The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/mar/22/duke-bluebeards-castle-review-erotic-unsettling-and-beautifully-staged

#Opera #BluebeardsCastle #Bartok

#LunchtimeReading : starting Anna Biller's Bluebeard's Castle, which is having much royal fun using the Gothic romance tropes to explore gender issues. Sudden urge to wear one of my big-sleeved Byron shirts...

I saw Anna's The Love Witch at the Edinburgh film fest a few years ago, so intrigued to read her upcoming novel.

Coming from @versobooks this autumn.

#books #livres #AmReading #gender #Gothic #BluebeardsCastle #AnnaBiller