''The Perfect Fool'' is an
opera
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...
in one act with music and
libretto
A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...
by the English composer
Gustav Holst
Gustav Theodore Holst (born Gustavus Theodore von Holst; 21 September 1874 – 25 May 1934) was an English composer, arranger and teacher. Best known for his orchestral suite ''The Planets'', he composed many other works across a range ...
. Holst composed the work over the period of 1918 to 1922. The opera received its premiere at the
Covent Garden Theatre
The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Op ...
, London, on 14 May 1923. Holst had originally asked
Clifford Bax
Clifford Lea Bax (13 July 1886 – 18 November 1962)Armorial Families: A Directory of Gentlemen of Coat-Armour, A. C. Fox-Davies, T. C. & E. C. Jack, 1910, p. 106 was a versatile English writer, known particularly as a playwright, a journalist, ...
to write the libretto, but Bax declined.
In the score, Holst pokes fun at the works of
Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...
,
Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...
's ''
Parsifal
''Parsifal'' ( WWV 111) is an opera or a music drama in three acts by the German composer Richard Wagner and his last composition. Wagner's own libretto for the work is loosely based on the 13th-century Middle High German epic poem ''Parzival'' ...
'' and
Debussy
(Achille) Claude Debussy (; 22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influential composers of the ...
. In the opera, the part of the Fool consists of no singing and only one spoken word ("No"). One interpretation of the possible symbolism of the opera, from
Donald Tovey
Sir Donald Francis Tovey (17 July 187510 July 1940) was a British musical analyst, musicologist, writer on music, composer, conductor and pianist. He had been best known for his '' Essays in Musical Analysis'' and his editions of works by Bach ...
, is that the Princess symbolizes the world of opera and the Fool represents the British public.
The opera was not a success, and audiences found the story confusing.
[Holmes, p. 90] Although the opera did receive a live
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, London, revivals of the work have been rare. In 1995,
conducted a performance of the complete opera for the BBC, broadcast on 25 December.
The introductory ballet music is much more often performed, separately as a suite. The ballet music falls into the following sections:
* Andante (invocation)
* Dance of Spirits of Earth (''Moderato – Andante'')
* Dance of Spirits of Water (''Allegro'')
* Dance of Spirits of Fire (''Allegro moderato – Andante'')
Themes from the ballet music recur throughout the remainder of the opera.
Notes
Sources
*Holmes, Paul, ''Holst''. Omnibus Press, 1998
(Ed.), ''The New Penguin Opera Guide'', New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001.