Laura Albino (soprano), Eve Rachel McLeod (soprano), Gillian Grossman (soprano), Marion Newman (mezzo-soprano), Loralie Kirkpatrick (mezzo-soprano), Bud Roach (tenor), Lawrence J. Wiliford (tenor), Andrew Mahon (baritone), Matthew Grosfeld (bass) & Jason Nedecky (baritone)
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Pepusch’s ballad opera Polly, composed in 1729 to John Gay’s libretto as a sequel to their highly successful The Beggar’s Opera (1728), never reached the stage owing to government censorship.
In 1777, Samuel Arnold completely renovated the score, which established his reputation as London’s pre-eminent theatre composer. It is here presented as a world première recording.
With its melodramatic tale reuniting Polly Peachum and Macheath in the West Indies and ending in Polly’s marriage to the ‘Indian prince’ Cawwawkee, this ‘island paradise’ opera was a huge hit and remains enormously entertaining today.
Samuel Arnold: Polly
Overture
Act I: Air 1: Noel Hills: He that weds (Ducat)
Act I: Air 2: Polwart on the Green: Observe the statesman's ways (Trapes)
Act I: Air 3: Dr Arnold: She who hath felt a real pain by cupid's dart (Polly)
Act I: Air 4: Dr Arnold: Farewell, farewell, farewell, all hope of bliss! (Polly)
Act I: Air 5: Dr Arnold: Despair is all folly (Trapes)
Act I: Air 6: Old Orpheus Tickl'd: When billows come breaking on the strand (Ducat)
Act I: Air 7: Christ-Church Bells: When a woman jealous grows (Ducat, Mrs. Ducat)
Act I: Air 8: Cheshire-Rounds: When kings by their huffing (Damaris)
Act I: Air 9: Johnny Fa': The crow or daw (Polly)
Act I: Air 10: Bury Fair: How can you be so teazing (Ducat, Polly)
Act I: Air 11: March in Scipio: Brave boys prepare (Ducat, Mrs. Ducat)
Act I: Air 12: Jig-It-O'Foot: Better to doubt all that's doing (Damaris)
Act I: Air 13: Dr Arnold: Aboard after misses most husbands will Roam (Mrs Ducat)
Act I: Air 14: Tweedside: The stag, when chas'd (Polly)
Entr'acte: Dances of the Pirates: I. March
Entr'acte: Dances of the Pirates: II. Hornpipe I
Entr'acte: Dances of the Pirates: III. Andante
Entr'acte: Dances of the Pirates: IV. Hornpipe II
Entr'acte: Dances of the Pirates: V. Allegro
Act II: Air 1: La Villanella: Why did you spare him (Polly)
Act II: Dead March
Act II: Air 2: La Cavalliere: Patriots at first declare (Culverin)
Act II: Air 3: Minuet: Cheer up my lads (Culverin)
Act II: Air 4: Dr Arnold: Shall I not be bold when honour calls (Morano, Jenny)
Act II: Air 5: Peggy's Mill: When gold is in hand (Jenny)
Act II: Air 6: Dr Arnold: Woman's like the flatt'ring ocean (Vanderbluff)
Act II: Air 7: The Boatman: Tho' different passions rage by turns (Morano)
Act II: Air 8: Hunt the Squirrel: The world is always jarring (Polly)
Act II: Air 9: Dr Arnold: In love and life the present use (Jenny)
Act II: Air 10: Dr Arnold: We never blame the forward swain (Jenny, Polly)
Act II: Air 11: Dr Arnold: The body of the brave may be taken (Cawwawkee)
Act II: Air 12: Excuse Me: Honour calls me (Morano)
Act II: Air 13: Ruben: Honour plays (Jenny)
Act II: Air 14: The Marlborough: We the sword of valour (Morano)
Act III: Air 1: The sportsmen keep hawks (Polly)
Act III: Air 2: O Saw Ye My Father: Love with beauty is flying (Cawwawkee)
Act III: Air 3: Prince Eugene's March: When the tyger roams (Morano)
Act III: Air 4: Kate of Aberdeen: The turtle thus upon the spray (Cawwawkee)
Act III: Air 5: Dr Arnold: The soldiers who by trade must dare (Morano)
Act III: Air 6: Shall Man, in Arne's Abel: My heart forebodes (Polly)
Act III: Dances of the Indians: I. Allegro
Act III: Dances of the Indians: II. Andante
Act III: Dances of the Indians: III. Allegro
Act III: Dances of the Indians: IV. Andante
Act III: Dances of the Indians: V. Allegro
Act III: Air 7: The Temple: Justice long forbearing (Cawwawkee, Indian Scout, Polly, Chorus)
Act III Appendix: What Man Can Virtue or Courage Repose (Ducat)
Act III Appendix: I Hate the Foolish Elf (Ducat)
Act III Appendix: Victory is Ours (Polly, Cawwawkee)
11th April 2010
“The short-breathed songs bubble with exuberance and unexpected inventiveness and the performances by the light-voiced soloists of Toronto's Aradia Ensemble are sparkling.”
Overture
