A song cycle sung in the ancient Celtic language of Cornish based on Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem, The Lady of Shalott, is going to have its London premiere at The Cockpit in Marylebone as part of the Tête à Tête Opera Festival this September.
Arlodhes a Shalott, composed by Matthew Thomason and featuring a translation into Cornish by Elizabeth Ellis of Tennyson’s much-loved poem, takes the form of a Romantic era style song cycle, and is sung in Cornish by soprano, Elizabeth Freeborn, with piano and cello accompaniment.
Much like German lieder, you don’t need to understand the language to be transported on an emotional journey. Thomason’s music is captivating and emotive, while the Cornish libretto conjures a bygone era of magic and romance. Arthurian legends have strong roots in Cornwall and when Tennyson toured the Duchy in 1848 he was keen to explore the locations connected with King Arthur.
Having been inspired by an exhibition of Pre-Raphaelite art at Falmouth Art Gallery in Cornwall, which featured one of John William Waterhouse’s paintings of The Lady of Shalott, the composer met Cornish translator, Elizabeth Ellis, at a residency for creatives interested in incorporating the Cornish language into their practice. “Cultural assets and reference points are essential for Kernewek (Cornish) to be consumed, heard, and most importantly felt by people,” says Thomason, “So with Arlodhes a Shalott I wanted to create a living, breathing and deeply emotional cultural artifact that allows the language to be ‘experienced’ in a way that only music can conjure.”
The performance of Arlodhes a Shalott at The Cockpit will take place on Wednesday 16th September at 7pm and tickets are available from The Cockpit’s website, https://www.tete-a-tete.org.uk/event/arlodhes-a-shalott/ .
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