for soprano and piano (2005)
text by Ross Baglin
Spotify
score available from
Wise Music
program note
i. Behind the widow’s veil
ii. Queen of England
iii. Lullaby
iv. Lanterns of illicit thought
v. News from home
vi. Emma’s dream
Nelson, an opera in 3 acts, was completed in 2005 to a libretto by Ross Baglin. This suite of songs was assembled in 2015 for Lotte Betts–Dean.
In October 2005 it was two centuries since Horatio Nelson died while commanding the British Fleet off Cape Trafalgar. Throughout most of that time Nelson’s victories and his heroic death were smoothly assimilated within Britain’s twin vision of itself as imperial power, and plucky, often-isolated defender of liberty. Nelson’s story is almost archetypically ‘operatic’ in the old sense – it has passion, the horror of war, political intrigues, gross betrayal and heroic death set in a time of sweeping historical change.
He abandoned his faithful wife Fanny for Emma Hamilton. And Emma’s story also has a tragic rise and fall from public status. All but one of these arias is sung by Emma (the exception being the opening song, Behind the widow’s veil, voiced by Nelson’s wife, Fanny). What follows is a journey of mutual attraction, illicit liaison and finally the agony of separation.