Promised End op. 83

The composer writes: ‘Although the words of this libretto are derived from the Shakespearean text, they are considerably re-arranged, emphasizing one aspect of the original text: King Lear and the Earl of Gloucester, men who in their prime committed errors of judgement, bringing upon themselves their own tragic destinies.’ ‘Some major characters in Shakespeare, for instance Kent, disappear completely, and Cordelia and the Fool are merged, brilliantly. The main outlines of the play are adhered to, though the ending, with the hanged Fool singing a prophecy, is drastically different from Shakespeare’s closing banalities. All told, it makes an extremely powerful impression. I’d be interested to know what someone not steeped in King Lear would make of Promised End, but I think that they wouldn’t be confused or uninvolved; conversely, those of us who live with Shakespeare’s works are not outraged; indeed, are encouraged to feel the work anew. The orchestra is, often, unobtrusive, though never not doing something interesting; and the vocal lines are tours de force of characterisation, with Goneril and Regan and the Fool (accompanied by a guitar) especially vivid.’ Michael Tanner, The Spectator