FULL THE PLAGUE AND THE MOONFLOWER (Richard Harvey) Woodford 2003
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: The Plague and the Moonflower
- Composer: Harvey Richard
- Libretto: Ralph Steadman Libretto Text, Libretto Index
- Venue & Opera Company: Woodford Folk Festival, Australia
- Recorded: 2003
- Type: Staged Opera Live
- Singers: Jesse Stevenson, Leanne Roobol, Kristin Teece, Waine Grafton, Fran Curtis, Caitlin Grafton
- Conductor: Bruce Menzies
- Orchestra: Instrumental ensemble
- Chorus Master: Cathy Welsford
- Choreographer: Tania Gammage, Shannon Smith
- Stage Director: Fran Curtis
- Stage Designer: David Curtis
- Costume Designer:
Information about the Recording
- Published by: Pat Bradley
- Date Published: 2021
- Format: Unknown
- Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
- Subtitles: nosubs
- Video Recording from: YouTube FULL VIDEO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
The Plague and the Moonflower is a work for choir, solo guitar
and orchestra. It explores the dark side of humanity through
the character of Plague. Its theme is the struggle for the survival
of our planet in the face of apathy, pollution and greed. It is,
however, celebratory when Plague is transformed through his
encounter with the Moonflower, and through his transformation
pledges to provide a future for the child (and hence future
generations). It is the discovery of the rare Moonflower by
the botanical artist Margaret Mee that provides the inspirational
aspects of the work. The Moonflower is a rare
epiphytic cactus that grows in the Amazon
rainforest. It only flowers under a full moon,
emitting a beautiful perfume while it flowers,
but within a few hours it is gone.