Claxton Opera

Eisler and Brecht's relationship was a stormy one but a single belief at least united them: that populist political theatre would help further the Marxist Revolution. First preformed in 1930, Brecht's icy presentation of the logical result of the application of Marxist ethics, rebounds in an unexpected way for a 21st century audience.

The music is direct and harmonically open, putting to powerful use the martial brass and timpani.



Five Marxist agitators sent to the Chinese town of Muckden to prepare the coolies for revolution have killed one of their own comrades who accidently betrayed their presence. They narrate these events in words, action and music, and await the judgement of their peers - the chorus and the audience.

First performed in the "little" Haymarket Theatre, London in 1772, the original piece was in two acts with five characters but in 1956 Horovitz skilfully reconstructed it in the form as performed here The extensive dialogue was replaced by-and-large with recitative but the charm and beauty of the vocal lines has been preserved to delight the audience.



Old Cooper Martin is infatuated with his pretty young ward Fanny and hopes to marry her. Fanny is in love with Martin's apprentice, Colin. After muchfun and some delicious songs, Fanny gets her Colin and Martin is relieved not to have made an awful fool of himself.

Opera grandissimi erotico in four acts. Every word and every note betrays the miscegenation of this mighty work - a student caper at 1950's Cambridge University. The original is completely lost except for Formaggio's heroic greeting whenever he comes on stage. For all the rest, Richard White and Peter Cooper must fully bear the blame.



The Diva Venetiana is married to boring basso Canneloni, but she loves (of course) the great tenor Quattro Formaggi who returns her passion. He is himself the object of the Sorceress Fiorentina's wicked desires. Fiorentina in turn is lusted after by the hapless cuckold Canneloni.

The tenor poisons the bass with an arsenic sandwich at the golf club. Meanwhile, an emetic intended for the soprano is replaced by the scheming contralto with poison. Venetiana takes the poison and dies. Her tenor lover forces the rest of the poison down the contralto's throat. She dies. The bass who has in fact taken the emetic is taken short. He and the tenor kill each other in a duel. All are now slain but they will just keep on singing!