Una Hunt, known for her piano work and influential contribution to Irish music in the 1980s, was instrumental in reintroducing the National Symphony Orchestra to William Vincent Wallace’s ‘Lurline.’ Initially drawn to Wallace’s remarkable ability to craft lyrical piano music, Hunt’s introduction to the composer was through his piano compositions. This experience led to her discovering the ambitious opera ‘The Amber Witch’, considered one of the most ambitious works in the English language from the 19th century, an unlikely selection for future production due to its five-hour run time.
Wallace (1812-1865) from Waterford, and his contemporary Dubliner Michael William Balfe (1808-70) were pioneers of English Opera in the 19th century. Their most recognised works, Balfe’s ‘The Bohemian Girl’ (1843) and Wallace’s ‘Maritana’ (1848), are still widely known. However, English Opera of that era largely remains uncelebrated or forgotten. ‘Lurline’, for instance, composed by Wallace from 1847 and first staged in 1860, had its last performance in 1939 by the Dublin Operatic Society.
Enthusiasts such as Hunt appreciate Wallace’s dual talent. The composer was not only proficient at the piano but was also an adept violin player. His impressive skills led him to be internationally recognised in the 1850s, with his music being featured by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.
Wallace’s global recognition was a result of his extensive international travels. He had marked his presence in numerous locations, including Tasmania, Sydney, Valparaiso, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Lima, Jamaica, Cuba, Mexico City, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Boston, before appearing in New York in 1843. He later performed in Germany and the Netherlands, finally arriving for a performance in London in 1845.
At the age of 18, while living in Ireland, he not only played the organ at the cathedral of Thurles but also taught at the Ursuline convent there. He was a violinist at Dublin’s Theatre Royal. His worldwide travels became known for his ability to play two concertos, one each on violin and piano, during a single concert. He used to perform his own Cracovienne on violin or piano. He enjoys a lasting reputation as the first exceptional instrumentalist to visit Australia, and as an integral educator in Sydney and a significant contributor to the music of Chile.
The late Joan Sutherland’s spouse, Richard Bonynge, an Australian conductor, recorded Lurline using the Victorian Opera Chorus and Orchestra for the Naxos label in 2009, presenting “a new performing edition”. However, Hunt’s interpretation will consist of even more music. Her intention is to display it as a “thorough grand opera”, positioning it distinctly beyond the English-language opera norms of that era.
It’s an opera full of drama, Hunt claims. It features several powerful male choruses that truly reinforce the entire opera and highlight the drama,” she says. The storyline draws heavily from the Lorelei myths of the Rhine. “Water held a very special place in Wallace’s heart, due to his worldwide sea travels and passion for journeying,” she shares. “For example, Act two predominantly takes place underwater, in Lurline’s palace in the Rhine.”
Bonynge’s rendition, according to her, “contains many cuts”, but she has chosen to include “the whole opera, encompassing every note that Wallace composed.” She hopes that this might enable an opera company to “make a well-informed choice on what cuts are needed to be made and so on.” The academic work has been done by Valerie Langfield, who also provided material for the recordings of Charles Villiers Stanford’s Shamus O’Brien and Balfe’s Falstaff.
Hunt suggests that the primary flaw of this piece is not its melody but its choice of language. Indeed, any avid follower of Wallace would likely agree, and this trait can be seen across other English-language lyrical endeavors of the 19th century as well. The use of a particularly Shakespearian vernacular was trendy in that era, yet it now comes across as undeniably quaint and possibly overcrowded. Despite this, Hunt and team have chosen to not modify the language too extensively, barring a few terms which would be completely unintelligible to today’s audience.
The starring role is filled by Rachel Kelly, the Irish mezzo-soprano who happens to be Hunt’s offspring. The role of the conductor is claimed by Péter Halász, a frequent visitor to the Hungarian State Opera. On being roped in by Hunt for this project, Halász admitted to discovering Wallace for the first time. After studying the piece and its recordings, Halász found strong similarity to the compositions of Carl Maria von Weber, whose music he vastly admires and has previously conducted with zeal.
Halász expressed his fascination with the exquisitely-crafted melodies and the fantastically structured orchestration of the piece. After learning more about the adventurous life of Wallace, he was even more intrigued. Wallace, a globetrotting maestro who founded an Australian music academy and was endorsed by the New York Philharmonic, was a vibrant personality, according to Halász.
He identifies a global essence in Wallace’s music that captivates him, with influences ranging from Weber and Mendelssohn to Donizetti, Offenbach, and the Strauss household. These intriguing nuances are found embedded in the musical script penned by an Irish composer based on a German narrative. For Halász, the captivating essence of the entire ensemble lies in its comparison to the German early romantists, whilst maintaining a light structure.
The music is richly melodic, reminiscent of a fairy tale, akin to Mendelssohn’s style, with minimal usage of counterpoint. It blends elements of a grand opera, including large tableau, voluminous soundscapes, and significant finales, while maintaining a light and dramatic score. Additionally, the composer demonstrates a keen awareness of distinct instrumental tones, a trait highly appreciated from a conductor’s viewpoint.
Notably, Halász concurs that performing this style of music has somewhat fallen off, necessitating a novel method of nuancing. He cites Albert Lortzing, the 19th century German composer, as another instance. An often misguided approach is to interpret these early romantic operas from a Wagnerian perspective, rather than from the viewpoint of their contemporary music. Certainly, the resultant sound mustn’t be static. Halász shares his thoughts during his study of the score, where he was instantly drawn to the lively overture of Lurline. He envisions that it could serve as an effortless commencement to a symphony concert in Budapest or Germany.
For Halász, Lurline forms part of his work roster, alongside Verdi’s La Traviata in Düsseldorf, Dvořák’s Rusalka’s inaugural Hungarian rendition, Richard Strauss’s Arabella, and a Puccini’s Turandot production. This last performance will showcase both the traditional ending by Franco Alfano post-Puccini’s demise and Luciano Berio’s prolonged conclusion. It’s indeed a unique context for the audience to experience Lurline. He describes the opportunity of reintroducing Lurline to the Irish audience as an exciting journey and a distinct honour.
Lurline, featuring a host of renowned musicians along with the National Symphony Orchestra and Lurline Chorus, conducted under Péter Halász would be showcased. The performance would encompass choreography and lighting by Vivian Coates and visuals by Roberto Recchia. The concert is scheduled at Dublin’s National Concert Hall on Friday, July 26th.