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Exhibition

Vaughan Williams : A London Symphony. First edition of the full score. London, 1920. Inscribed by the composer to Rupert Erlebach. Royal College of Music, London.

Three first performances in 1914

February 2014

A London Symphony, Josephs Legende and Le Rossignol.

RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS : A London Symphony. First performed London, Queens Hall, 27 March 1914. Queen’s Hall Orchestra, conductor Geoffrey Toye. The work was later revised several times, the present version dating from 1933.

Ralph Vaughan Williams. Photograph by Herbert Lambert, Bath.

Programme of the first performance of A London Symphony, Queen’s Hall, London, 27 March 1914. © Royal College of Music, London.

RICHARD STRAUSS : La Légende de Joseph. Ballet in one act to a scenario by Harry Kessler and Hugo von Hofmannsthal. First performed Paris, Théâtre de l’Operé (Serge Diaghilev’s Saison Russe), 14 May 1914. Conductor : Richard Strauss. Choreographer : Michel Fokine. Designers : José-Maria Sert (set) and Léon Bakst (costumes).
Joseph : Leonide Massine
Potiphar : Aleksei Bulgakov
Potphar’s Wife : Maria Kouznetsoff

Richard Strauss : Josephs Legende, Op.63. First edition of the piano score, Berlin & Paris, 1914.

Richard Strauss. Postcard photograph by Rotary Photographic Co., London. [c.1905].

IGOR STRAVINSKY : Rossignol. Conte lyrique en trois actes. First performed Paris,  Théâtre de l’Operé (Serge Diaghilev’s Saison Russe), 26 May 1914. Libretto by the composer and Stephan Mitusov after a story by Hans Andersen. Conductor : Pierre Monteux. Designer : Alexandre Benois. Producers : Alexandre Benois and Alexandre Sanine. Choreographer : Boris Romanov.
Emperor of China : Paul Andreev
The Nightingale : Aurelia Dobrowolska
Death : Elisabeth Petrenko
Kitchenmaid : Marie Brian
Fisherman : Alexandre  Warfolomeiew
High Chamberlain : Alexandre Belianine

Stravinsky : Rossignol. First edition of the vocal score, Berlin and Moscow, 1914.

Le Rossignol. Programme of the first English performance, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 18 June 1914. © Royal College of Music, London.

The Museum is grateful to the staff of the Library and the Centre for Performance History, Royal of College of Music for making available three items in the above display.

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