Observations: Thomas Arne is due a revival after 166 years
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference."Rule, Britannia!" is one of the most familiar tunes in Britain, but whatever happened to its composer? This season marks the tricentenary of Thomas Arne, the compositional superstar of 18th-century Britain, yet now virtually forgotten beyond that one aria. To celebrate, the Royal Opera House is presenting his opera Artaxerxes which was premiered in the same spot in 1762, but has not been heard there (or in many other places) since 1843.
A tale of intrigue and lust set in ancient Persia, Artaxerxes was not only Arne's greatest hit, but it was also the first opera seria written in English; a deliberate challenge to the supremacy of Handel both Arne's strongest influence and his greatest rival who composed his operas in Italian. By just 1790 it had notched up 111 performances.
So why was it forgotten? Partly, perhaps, because Arne fell out of public favour. He was an outsider a Catholic, which meant he could not enjoy the court appointments held by his musical peers. He was a notorious womaniser, too, and was very publicly fleeced and bad-mouthed by his litigious ex-wife, whom he left for the soprano Charlotte Brent who inspired the magnificent role of Princess Mandane in Artaxerxes.
But essentially the opera vanished because it was too famous. Jane Austen declared in 1814 that she was "very tired" of it. After more than a century, it's time to try it anew. With a cast of stunning young singers including Elizabeth Watts as Mandane, accompanied by the Orchestra of the Classical Opera Company conducted by Ian Page and directed by Martin Duncan, Arne's masterpiece is coming home at last.
To 14 Nov, Royal Opera House Linbury Studio, London WC2 (020 7304 4000; www.roh.org.uk)
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments