Blodwen
Encyclopedia
Blodwen is an opera
in three acts composed in 1878 by Dr Joseph Parry
to a Welsh
libretto
by Richard Davies
. It was the first opera ever written in the Welsh language.
on May 21, 1878, with Parry himself conducting.
It was well received, with one reporter from the Welsh-language magazine Y Faner going as far as to say that the opera was the “most charming piece of music” he had heard.
Following the first performance in Aberystwyth, Blodwen was taken on tour through the counties of Glamorgan
and Monmouthshire
, and was performed by the Welsh Representative Choir in Bristol
and at Alexandra Palace
in London
. They travelled with cheap trains from Aberdare to London, and Parry wrote to the press to say that people were welcome to join the singers on the journey.
By the summer of 1879, the composer claimed that his opera had been performed approximately fifty times, and that his next aim was a grand, full-scale performance 'with costumes and appropriate appearance'. That occurred in Aberdare
on December 26, 1879, when the work was performed by the Choral Union under the direction of Rees Evans, and with Llew Llwyfo as one of the singers.
The opera had racked up 500 performances by 1896.
The scene opens in Maelor
Castle, which has seen great excitement and activity over the last few weeks because Elen of Maelor is marrying Arthur of Berwyn
the following day. The final preparations are being made, and everyone is awaiting the arrival of the guests of honour, Sir Hywel Ddu (Howell Black) and his beautiful adopted daughter, the eponymous Blodwen.
They arrive after a long horse-ride down from Snowdon
and are welcomed by Lady Maelor, Elen's mother. At the same time, Iolo the bard
enters and congratulates Arthur.
Scene 2
Blodwen offers a rose
to Elen, and a monk
performs the marriage ceremony. Afterwards, everyone gathers in the main hall and celebrates. Just as the festivities are reaching their high-point however, a group of Plantagenet soldiers arrive and demand the keys to the castle, in the name of King Henry of England. They threaten to kill everyone in the hall, but Lady Maelor sends them away with a patriotic speech, which is echoed by the guests.
It’s early in the morning, and outside the castle, hunters are preparing to go out and catch a deer. As they leave, Iolo enters and predicts that bad news is on its way.
Sir Hywel decides to say at the castle, and, thinking he’s alone, sings about how much Blodwen means to him. Blodwen, surprised to hear Hywel's voice listens in, and tells him she feels the same way.
The hunters return, and are singing happily, but their joy is cut short when a messenger arrives to say that Henry's armies are marching on Wales, and that the Prince of Wales
has issued a call to arms to defend the country.
Scene 2
In Maelor Castle, Sir Hywel and Arthur strengthen each other's resolve, and join the armies waiting to march into battle. Elen expresses her grief that her newlywed husband is about to leave for battle, and attaches her favour to his breastplate
. Blodwen does the same for Sir Hywll, and the army marches off.
Scene 3
In her room, Lady Maelor receives news of a bloody battle, and that both Sir Hywel and Arthur have shown exceptional bravery, but Iolo predicts that the chance of a Welsh victory is slim.
Arthur has been mortally wounded in battle, and is carried back to the castle. Despite his terrible wounds, he is calm and happy to be in the care of Elen. He expresses his love for her one last time, and then dies. The scene closes with a solemn funeral procession.
Scene 2
Lady Maelor's messenger brings news from the battlefield that the Welsh have been defeated and that they are now retreating towards Snowdon. Blodwen anxiously waits for news of Sir Hywel, but Iolo arrives to the news that the Welsh have been vanquished, and that Sir Hywel is now a prisoner.
Scene 3
In Chester, Sir Hywel is sitting in his cell when Blodwen and Lady Maelor visit. Sir Hywel sings a farewell song to Blodwen and returns her favour, which is now covered in blood.
Suddenly, a loud knock is heard at the prison doors, and a stranger insists on being shown to Sir Hywel's cell. Iolo seeks to discover the newcomer's identity, and it turns out (to the surprise of all) that it's Rhys Gwyn, Blodwen's supposedly long-dead father.
Blodwen rushes into her father's arms, and he explains that he brings good news: the king is dead, and to mark the mournful day, all prisoners of war are to be set free. The prison doors are thrown open, and the opera ends with a huge song of celebration.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
in three acts composed in 1878 by Dr Joseph Parry
Joseph Parry
Joseph Parry , was a Welsh composer and musician. Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, he is best known as the composer of Myfanwy and Aberystwyth used in Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika the National anthem of South Africa.The cottage at 4 Chapel Row, Merthyr Tydfil, where Parry was born, is now open to the...
to a Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Richard Davies
Richard Davies (Mynyddog)
Richard Davies was a popular Welsh language poet.He was born in Llanbrynmair, Montgomeryshire, in a house called "Y Fron"....
. It was the first opera ever written in the Welsh language.
Premiere and reception
The opera was premiered at the Temperance Hall in AberystwythAberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
on May 21, 1878, with Parry himself conducting.
It was well received, with one reporter from the Welsh-language magazine Y Faner going as far as to say that the opera was the “most charming piece of music” he had heard.
Following the first performance in Aberystwyth, Blodwen was taken on tour through the counties of Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
and Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...
, and was performed by the Welsh Representative Choir in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and at Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. They travelled with cheap trains from Aberdare to London, and Parry wrote to the press to say that people were welcome to join the singers on the journey.
By the summer of 1879, the composer claimed that his opera had been performed approximately fifty times, and that his next aim was a grand, full-scale performance 'with costumes and appropriate appearance'. That occurred in Aberdare
Aberdare
Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705...
on December 26, 1879, when the work was performed by the Choral Union under the direction of Rees Evans, and with Llew Llwyfo as one of the singers.
The opera had racked up 500 performances by 1896.
Act 1
Scene 1The scene opens in Maelor
Maelor
Maelor is a border area of north-east Wales. It originated as a Cantref of the Kingdom of Powys, focused on Bangor-on-Dee.-History:The Maelor was first divided from the rest of Wales by the construction of Offa's Dyke in the eighth century, but was reclaimed for Wales during the reign of Stephen...
Castle, which has seen great excitement and activity over the last few weeks because Elen of Maelor is marrying Arthur of Berwyn
Berwyn
Berwyn originally referred to the Berwyn range of mountains in northeast Wales:*Cadair Berwyn or Cader Berwyn is a mountain summit in north east Wales*Cadair Berwyn North Top or Cadair Berwyn is a top of Cadair Berwyn in north east Wales...
the following day. The final preparations are being made, and everyone is awaiting the arrival of the guests of honour, Sir Hywel Ddu (Howell Black) and his beautiful adopted daughter, the eponymous Blodwen.
They arrive after a long horse-ride down from Snowdon
Snowdon
Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, at an altitude of above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland. It is located in Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, and has been described as "probably the busiest mountain in Britain"...
and are welcomed by Lady Maelor, Elen's mother. At the same time, Iolo the bard
Bard
In medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
enters and congratulates Arthur.
Scene 2
Blodwen offers a rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
to Elen, and a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
performs the marriage ceremony. Afterwards, everyone gathers in the main hall and celebrates. Just as the festivities are reaching their high-point however, a group of Plantagenet soldiers arrive and demand the keys to the castle, in the name of King Henry of England. They threaten to kill everyone in the hall, but Lady Maelor sends them away with a patriotic speech, which is echoed by the guests.
Act 2
Scene 1It’s early in the morning, and outside the castle, hunters are preparing to go out and catch a deer. As they leave, Iolo enters and predicts that bad news is on its way.
Sir Hywel decides to say at the castle, and, thinking he’s alone, sings about how much Blodwen means to him. Blodwen, surprised to hear Hywel's voice listens in, and tells him she feels the same way.
The hunters return, and are singing happily, but their joy is cut short when a messenger arrives to say that Henry's armies are marching on Wales, and that the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
has issued a call to arms to defend the country.
Scene 2
In Maelor Castle, Sir Hywel and Arthur strengthen each other's resolve, and join the armies waiting to march into battle. Elen expresses her grief that her newlywed husband is about to leave for battle, and attaches her favour to his breastplate
Breastplate
A breastplate is a device worn over the torso to protect it from injury, as an item of religious significance, or as an item of status. A breastplate is sometimes worn by mythological beings as a distinctive item of clothing.- Armour :...
. Blodwen does the same for Sir Hywll, and the army marches off.
Scene 3
In her room, Lady Maelor receives news of a bloody battle, and that both Sir Hywel and Arthur have shown exceptional bravery, but Iolo predicts that the chance of a Welsh victory is slim.
Act 3
Scene 1Arthur has been mortally wounded in battle, and is carried back to the castle. Despite his terrible wounds, he is calm and happy to be in the care of Elen. He expresses his love for her one last time, and then dies. The scene closes with a solemn funeral procession.
Scene 2
Lady Maelor's messenger brings news from the battlefield that the Welsh have been defeated and that they are now retreating towards Snowdon. Blodwen anxiously waits for news of Sir Hywel, but Iolo arrives to the news that the Welsh have been vanquished, and that Sir Hywel is now a prisoner.
Scene 3
In Chester, Sir Hywel is sitting in his cell when Blodwen and Lady Maelor visit. Sir Hywel sings a farewell song to Blodwen and returns her favour, which is now covered in blood.
Suddenly, a loud knock is heard at the prison doors, and a stranger insists on being shown to Sir Hywel's cell. Iolo seeks to discover the newcomer's identity, and it turns out (to the surprise of all) that it's Rhys Gwyn, Blodwen's supposedly long-dead father.
Blodwen rushes into her father's arms, and he explains that he brings good news: the king is dead, and to mark the mournful day, all prisoners of war are to be set free. The prison doors are thrown open, and the opera ends with a huge song of celebration.