Vaughan Williams 'The Pilgrim's Progress' at Saddlers Wells

The Philharmonia Orchestra present two special semi-staged performances of The Pilgrim's Progress to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Vaughan Williams’ death.

The last of Vaughan Williams’ operas and a labour of love for the composer for forty years, The Pilgrim’s Progress is today regarded as one of his finest works, brimming with expressive musical ideas. It tells of a pilgrim's journey to the Celestial City. He battles with The Devil, visits Vanity Fair, gets imprisoned and finds a pastoral idyll in the Delectable Mountains. The music is occasionally scary, at other times witty, but the overarching impression is one of visionary beauty and nobility. The opera exhibits all of Vaughan Williams’ range, from the Tallis Fantasia through the Pastoral Symphony, and a lifetime devoted to setting the greatest English poetry.

The Pilgrim's Progress is conducted by Richard Hickox, and features Roderick Williams as The Pilgrim and Neal Davies as John Bunyan alongside Philharmonia Voices. Other soloists include Matthew Rose, Richard Coxon, Matthew Brook, Timothy Robinson, Sarah Fox, Sarah Tynan, Pamela Helen Stephen, James Gilchrist, Robert Hayward and Graeme Danby.

A semi-staged production.

(Notes from Saddlers Wells)

Visit: http://www.sadlerswells.com/show/Philharmonia-Orchestra