FULL Daughters of the Elements (Stephen McNeff) London 2011 Katherine Bond, Mary Plazas, Lucy Schaufer

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: Daughters of the Elements  
• Composer: McNeff Stephen   
• Libretto: based on historical sources and documents    Libretto Text, Libretto Index
• Venue & Opera Company: London, UK  
• Recorded: August 20 & 21, 2011
• Type: Staged Opera Live
• Singers: Katherine Bond, Mary Plazas, Lucy Schaufer
• Conductor: Robin Newton  
• Orchestra: CHROMA Ensemble  
• Stage Director: Bill Bankes-Jones  
• Stage Designer: Zoe Baron  
• Costume Designer:   

Information about the Recording

• Published by: Tête à Tête  
• Date Published: 2011  
• Format: DVD
• Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
• Subtitles: nosubs  

• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

  The work is essentially a kind of song cycle divided into six scenes based on a fictional time in the life of Marie Sklodowska-Curie and her daughters Irène and Ève. In 1911 Marie Curie received her second Nobel Prize – the first person ever to have done so. She was already the first woman to receive the award and her fame was now international. Despite this she failed to persuade the Academy of Science to abandon its prejudice against women; but a scandal to rival the notorious Dreyfus affair was to follow… We are in L’Arcouest in Brittany – the Curie’s rural retreat – in about 1927; Marie and her daughters Irène and Ève remember 1911… and sometimes assume the roles of other characters from that time, notably Mmes Langevin and Bourgois, who – along with the right-wing press – were instrumental in Marie’s persecution.

  Synopsis

  L’Arcouest in Brittany about 1927, but remembering 1911. It is summer, but raining and Marie Curie, and her daughters Irene and Eve, are indoors…

  Scene 1: Marie sings a little Polish children’s song to herself as she stares out at the rain and the others join in. Marie remembers meeting Pierre Curie for the first time.

  Scene 2: Marie describes her and Pierre’s excitement at the scientific discoveries.

  Scene 3: Eve vents a certain frustration at being the only non-scientist in the family, but understand her mother’s greatness.

  Scene 4: Irene is methodical, practical and hard working and offers her sister advice before returning to her scientific writing.

  Scene 5: After Pierre’s death, Marie Curie had a brief affair with fellow scientist, Paul Langevin. Mme Langevin (Paul’s estranged wife) and her sister Mme Bourgois spit out the vitriol of the reactionary press and establishment.

  Scene 6: Marie remembers Pierre’s death and how they had cared for their children.

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