| At the Boar's Head | |
|---|---|
| Opera byGustav Holst | |
 Holst, circa 1921 | |
| Librettist | Gustav Holst |
| Based on | Henry IV, Part 1 &Part 2 byShakespeare |
At the Boar's Head is an opera in one act by the English composerGustav Holst, his op. 42. Holst himself described the work as "A Musical Interlude in One Act". Thelibretto, by the composer himself, is based onShakespeare'sHenry IV, Part 1 andHenry IV, Part 2.
Holst devised the idea for this opera in 1924, whilst convalescing from an illness. During this period, he alternated between readingHenry IV, Part I and an edition ofJohn Playford'sThe English Dancing Master, as well as folk melodies collected byCecil Sharp and others. Holst noticed that the rhythm and metre of Shakespeare's lines matched the tunes in the Playford, as well as the tunes that Sharp and others had collected. He then decided to set a number of those melodies to a story assembled from episodes set at the Boar's Head Inn from the two parts ofHenry IV.[1][2] Three of the melodic passages are original, including a recitative for Prince Hal and a setting for the sonnets.[1][3] Otherwise, Holst devised his score from reworking the collected folk tunes.Imogen Holst summarised the folk tunes which her father used in the score as follows:[4]
The opera received its first performance at thePalace Theatre, Manchester, on 3 April 1925, by theBritish National Opera Company, withMalcolm Sargent conducting. A performance at theGolders Green Hippodrome followed on 20 April 1925, with the following singers among the cast:[1]
Holst's opera was part of a double bill withPuccini'sGianni Schicchi.[5] The first US performance was in February 1935 in New York City, at theMacDowell Club, conducted and directed bySandor Harmati.[6]
Contemporary audiences overall gave the opera a lukewarm reception.[7] Imogen Holst said of the opera that it contained "very little relief from the onslaught of the counterpoint".Hugh Ottaway has commented that another reason for the failure of the opera was that the music did not add sufficiently to the original texts.[8]
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 3 April 1925[9] Conductor:Malcolm Sargent |
|---|---|---|
| Falstaff | bass | Norman Allin |
| Prince Hal | tenor | Tudor Davies |
| Poins | bass | |
| Bardolph | baritone | |
| Doll Tearsheet | soprano | Constance Willis |
| Peto | tenor | |
| Pistol | baritone | |
| Hostess | soprano |
The opera observes classical unities of a single setting for the plot, with the events occurring in real time on a single day. The story focuses on the conversations between Falstaff and Prince Hal, and the characters who wander in and out of theBoar's Head Tavern inEastcheap. Throughout the story, the sound of door knocks bring reminders of events happening in the world outside the tavern, including the marching of soldiers to war.[3]
The story begins in late afternoon, as Bardolph, Gadshill and Peto sing and drink in an upstairs room at the tavern. Falstaff arrives, followed by Prince Hal and Poins, whom Falstaff accuses of cowardice, for not assisting him in an attempted highway robbery earlier that day. Falstaff exaggerates the story, until Prince Hal says that he and Poins had stolen from Falstaff money that had prior been taken from unarmed travellers.
The Hostess announces the arrival of a gentleman from Court, whereupon Falstaff and the others leave. After Prince Hal delivers a soliloquy, Falstaff and the others return with news that civil war has begun. Falstaff advises Prince Hal to rehearse what he will say to the King before he returns to Court. Prince Hal practices with Falstaff in the role of the King, and later the two trade roles.
Doll Tearsheet arrives, and Prince Hal and Poins don disguises to be able to observe her and Falstaff's behaviour. Falstaff asks for a song, whereupon the disguised Prince Hal sings Shakespeare'ssonnet 19, "Devouring Time, blunt though the lion's paws". Falstaff is displeased and interrupts with the ballad "When Arthur first in Court began", and the two songs continue in parallel. A distant march precedes a communication from Bardolph to Prince Hal, who must go to the Court at Westminster. Prince Hal and Poins remove their disguises and leave to the shouts of the outside crowd.
Pistol calls to Falstaff off-stage, and then enters the inn, in spite of the misgivings of Doll and the concern of the Hostess for the inn's reputation. Pistol and Doll argue vehemently, and Pistol is ejected. Bardolph arrives with word that a dozen captains are searching all the taverns for Falstaff. Falstaff bids Doll farewell, but at the end, before all the men go off to war, Bardolph brings a last message for Doll Tearsheet to meet Falstaff one last time. The hostess pushes Doll through the door to the assignation at the close of the opera.
| Opera | |
|---|---|
| Orchestral works | |
| Concertante | |
| Concert/brass band | |
| Chamber music | |
| Choral music | |
| Film score | |
| Named for Holst | |
| Related articles | |
