The Tempest - opera scenes

Prospero - Mark Stone

Ariel 1 - Lorna Bridge

Ariel 2 - Azita Kazem

Ariel 3 - Olivia Shrive

Caliban - David Ubaka

Trincula - Suzanne Walker

Stephanie - Jill House

The London Sinfonietta

conducted by Francis Griffin

Francis Griffin's Website

RSM 006 © Robosoft Music 2007 All rights reserved.

Robosoft Music, Glen Ely, Knowl Hill, Woking GU22 7HL United Kingdom.

CD mastered and produced by Joe St.Johanser

Extracts and scenes from the opera 'The Tempest’ - music and libretto adaptation from Shakespeare by Joe St.Johanser. With a running time of one hour rather less than one half of the two and one half hours of the opera is represented on this extracts CD.

Left out is the music for much of two subplots, one involving the love interest of Miranda and Ferdinand and the second the conspiracy and attempted assassination of Alonso by Antonia and Sebastiane (newly feminised but one hopes no less evil) and the choruses of Gonzalo and the Lords and Ladies of Alonso’s Court. Music for other scenes is truncated to fit on the CD. The main plot remains: the vengeance planned and executed by Prospero with the aid of Ariel (here a multiple magical entity) against both his noble enemies (Antonia, Sebastiane, Alonso and the Court) and his base enemies (Caliban, drunken butler Stephanie and jester Trincula). The two rustics are also newly feminised (but one hopes no less comic).

From Act 1 Scene 2 we have the Quartet (Track 1) where Ariel reports to Prospero the success of the tempest in wrecking the ship carrying Alonso and his Noble Court,

and the Trio (Track 2) where Ariel invisibly sings a lament to Ferdinand about his drowned father.

Click here for an MP3 File of this track "Full Fathom Five"

From Act 2 Scene 2 we have the linked Arias of Caliban (Track 3), then Trincula (Track 4), then Stephanie (Track 5),

Click here for an MP3 File of this track "Stephanie's Sea Shanty"

each in turn finding themselves alone on the beach as the storm comes and seeking shelter in the same place, then the Trio (Track 6)as they discover each other

From Act 3 Scene 2 we have most of the scene, the Trio (Track 7) as Caliban, Trincula and Stephanie emerge drunkenly from the primeval swamp,

Click here for an MP3 File of this track "When the butt is out"

the Sextet (Track 8) as they plot to kill Prospero and Ariel interupts them,

Click here for an MP3 File of this track "Flout 'em and scout 'em"

the Aria (Track 9) as Caliban sings of the beauties of the Isle

From Act 4 Scene 1 we again have most of the scene with the linked Arias of Ariel, representing Iris, Ceres and Juno, and a rustic dance at the wedding feast staged by Prospero (Track 10), followed by Prospero’s Aria on the transience of life, (Track 11)then a comic Trio and Sextet as Caliban, Trincula and Stephanie are foiled in their attempted murder and driven out by Prospero’s spirits (Track 12)

From Act 5 we have from the first part of the scene Prospero’s Aria where he exults that his enemies are helpless in his power but decides to have mercy (Track 13)and concocts his spells accordingly (Track 14).

Click here for an MP3 File of this track "Ye Elves"

Finally the last part of Act 5 has the Finale (minus the Chorus) as the forgiven Nobles are sent back to sea and home to Naples, (Track 15) and (Track 16)and the Epilogue as Ariel is freed and Prospero contemplates his remaining time before death claims him (Track 17)

Click here for an MP3 File of this track "Epilogue"

RSM 007 © Robosoft Music 2008 CD mastered and produced by Joe St.Johanser