FULL THE LAST SIREN (Edward Lambert) London 2023 Arlene Belli, Louise Fuller

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: THE LAST SIREN   
• Composer: Lambert Edward  
• Libretto: Norman Welch    Libretto Text, Libretto Index
• Venue & Opera Company: The Cockpit, London, UK, Tête-à-Tête: The Opera Festival  
• Recorded: August 31, 2023
• Type: Staged Opera Live
• Singers: Arlene Belli, Louise Fuller
• Conductor:   
• Orchestra:
• Stage Director: Jenny Weston  
• Costume Designer:   

Information about the Recording

• Published by: The Music Troupe  
• Date Published: 2023  
• Format: Streaming
• Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
• Subtitles: nosubs  

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

Dimitra is a siren-courtesan working from her
territory on Sirens’ Rocks and is joined by a
newcomer called Belinda, innocent and eager to
succeed but at first unaware of her duties. Belinda
performs her sparkling audition piece, failing to
impress Dimitra, who then demonstrates the art of
seduction by singing voluptuously to a passing ship;
we subsequently hear the crashing of a vessel hitting
the rocks. Then, brandishing a knife, she goes off to
seduce and dismember her victim and returns
triumphant a few moments later. Belinda is aghast
that the gods have tasked her to carry out such
dreadful deeds. Prompted by her Echo, she is
inspired to sing a different song as a veiled warning
to the next ship that approaches. However, she has
such a beautiful voice that her singing has the
opposite effect to that intended. Again, the ship
crashes, Belinda falls into the captain’s arms – and
finds love. As Dimitra has already warned her, Fate
now condemns her to a painful death: she is The
Doomed Siren. But first, as Odysseus’ ship is sighted,
both girls vie with each other, Dimitra to entice the
hero onto the island, Belinda to ward him off. When
the contest gets violent, Belinda seizes Dimitra’s
knife and kills her. As Odysseus sails past, Belinda is
left to perish alone.

 

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