FULL Jane Bathori: A Dove at the Vieux Colombier Leeds 2025 Lotte Betts-Dean

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: Jane Bathori: A Dove at the Vieux Colombier  
• Composer: various, see below  
• Libretto: various  
• Venue & Opera Company: Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall, University of Leeds, UK  
• Recorded: November 14, 2025
• Type: Concert Live

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

Art Sung – Jane Bathori: A Dove at the Vieux-Colombier is a semi-dramatised interdisciplinary song recital which celebrates French mezzo soprano Jane Bathori who dedicated her life and talents to promoting the music of her contemporaries: Debussy, Ravel and Satie as well as supporting the early works of “Les Six”. The high point of her career was the rare opportunity to direct the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier in Paris during the Great War. Her artistic initiatives were a godsend for many composers who were at the front, such as Caplet and Hahn. The theatre buzzed with music of all genres from mediaeval to contemporary as well as many inter-art collaborations. Pianist and Art Sung founder Elizabeth Mucha is joined by mezzo-soprano Lotte Betts-Dean, actor Julie Teal, visual artist James Symonds, dancer Mariana Chew and director Roxani Eleni Garefalaki in Art Sung – Jane Bathori which brings to life a slice of forgotten history through music, narrative and artwork, and pays tribute to Bathori’s resolute determination to contribute musically to the war effort. This production was created in collaboration and based on the extensive research of Prof. Barbara Kelly, Head of the School of Music at the University of Leeds.
This performance took place in the International Concert Series at the University of Leeds and as part of the conference, ‘Music and the Arts in France – 1925: Anniversaries and Confluences’.

00:00 Introduction
00:16 start of performance
00:56 “Le Paon” (from Histoires Naturelles) by Maurice Ravel
05:39 Spoken text – the story of the first performance of le Paon
07:01 Spoken text – 1917 and Jane Bathori’s involvement with the Théâtre du Vieux Colombier
07:55 “Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis” (from Trois Chansons) by Maurice Ravel
11:17 Spoken text – Jane Bathori begins preparations for her concert series at the Vieux Colombier
12:35 Spoken text – 25th November, 1917, first concert, “Song of the Revolution”
13:12 The revolutionary songs, “Ça ira” and “Carmagnole” sung simultaneously backstage!
14:00 Spoken text – 2nd December, 1917, story of the premiere of the opera “Robin et Marion” at the Vieux Colombier
14:37 “Robin m’aims” (from Robin et Marion) by Adam de la Halle
15:45 Spoken text – background to the performance of the opera, “L’heure espagnole”
16:32 “La Pitoyable Aventure” (from L’heure espagnole) by Maurice Ravel
19:50 Letter from composer André Caplet to Jane Bathori, written at the front
20:39 “Fôret” (from Le Vieux Coffret) by André Caplet
25:38 Spoken text – music by Reynaldo Hahn at the Vieux Colombier
26:03 Excerpt from “Décrets insolvents du hazard” (from Le Ruban Dénoué) for two pianos
27:40 Spoken text – background to Debussy’s “Noël des enfants qui n’ont plus de maison”
28:28 “Noël des enfants qui n’ont plus de maison” by Claude Debussy
31:09 Spoken text – Introduction to Erik Satie
31:55 “La Statue de Bronze by Erik Satie
34:02 Spoken text – Introduction to Les Six
34:24 “Pastorale” (from L’Album des Six) for piano solo be Germaine Tailleferre
35:53 Spoken text – background to the performance of the experimental ballet, “Le Dit des Jeux du Monde” commissioned by Jane Bathori for the Vieux Colombier
36:33 Excerpt from “Le Dit des Jeux du Monde”
42:13 Spoken text – how “Le Dit des Jeux du Monde” was received by Parisian society
42:47 Spoken text – Jane Bathori’s tenure at the Vieux Colombier comes to an end
43:13 “Souvent un air de vérité” (from Chansons Françaises) by Germaine Tailleferre
44:35 Spoken text – life after the Vieux Colombier
45:27 No 3 (from Trois blues chantées) by Jean Wiener

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