{"id":117859,"date":"2024-04-08T08:38:30","date_gmt":"2024-04-08T13:38:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/?p=117859"},"modified":"2024-04-08T08:38:32","modified_gmt":"2024-04-08T13:38:32","slug":"exclusive-tolkien-estate-grants-permission-to-lord-of-the-rings-opera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/2024\/04\/08\/117859-exclusive-tolkien-estate-grants-permission-to-lord-of-the-rings-opera\/","title":{"rendered":"EXCLUSIVE: Tolkien Estate grants permission to Lord of the Rings opera"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"intro\">Our good friends at Volante Opera have been in touch with very exciting news! You may remember, in 2022 and 2023 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/2023\/06\/27\/116729-operatic-war-of-wrath-now-available-for-your-listening-pleasure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"we brought you news\">we brought you news<\/a> of their work with composer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paulcorfieldgodfrey.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Paul Corfield Godfrey\">Paul Corfield Godfrey<\/a>, to bring to life his operas of stories from <em>The Silmarillion<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Godfrey had for many years been working on operatic excerpts from <em>The Lord of the Rings<\/em> &#8211; and during lockdown, he and the Volante Opera folks had even begun recording excerpts, &#8216;just in case&#8217;; but the Tolkien Estate had not granted permission for those works to be released. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">We can now exclusively reveal that Godfrey and Volante Opera Productions have been granted permission to release recordings and scores of these works.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>There are thirty &#8216;chapters&#8217;, intended to be performed over six evenings. The text is (of course) abridged, but uses as closely as possible Tolkien&#8217;s own words; and fans can even look forward to an appearance by that most elusive of characters in adaptations, Tom Bombadil! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fifteen CD set should be available in 2025. Meanwhile, you can enjoy Volante&#8217;s previous recordings of Godfrey&#8217;s <em>Silmarillion <\/em>settings, available to purchase <a href=\"https:\/\/www.volanteopera.wales\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"on their website\">on their website<\/a>; and here&#8217;s a trailer, with aural &#8216;glimpses&#8217; of what treats we have in store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe class=\"youtube-player lazyload\" width=\"1170\" height=\"659\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zFzx0QbPSCE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s the official press release from Volante Opera:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">AT LAST &#8211; AN OPERATIC TREATMENT OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>For many years the Tolkien Estate has refused to allow any musical treatment of the works of the author which employed his own words. Now they have agreed to make a concession in respect of the music of Paul Corfield Godfrey, whose cycle of \u201cepic scenes from <em>The Silmarillion<\/em>\u201d was finally completed in 2023 with the issue of a ten-CD series of recordings from Volante Opera and Prima Facie Records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ever since the 1960s the composer has been working on sketches, fragments and episodes of what was envisaged as a cycle of musical works based upon <em>The Lord of the Rings<\/em>. Following on from the success of the recordings of <em>The Silmarillion <\/em>Paul was persuaded to go back to these beginnings and fully explore, expand and complete the work which has now evolved as \u201cmusical chapters from <em>The Lord of the Rings<\/em>\u201d. This fully operatic setting has now become a companion work on the same scale as <em>The Silmarillion<\/em>. This adaptation takes place over thirty \u201cchapters\u201d designed to be performed over six evenings \u2013 over fifteen hours of music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This work is currently in the process of recording by Volante Opera and it is anticipated that Prima Facie will release a demo recording of the complete cycle, in the same manner as their <em>Silmarillion <\/em>recordings, in 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cast<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The professional singers, some thirty in number, come mainly from Welsh National Opera. Returning artists from <em>The Silmarillion<\/em> include: Simon Crosby Buttle as <strong>Frodo<\/strong>, Julian Boyce as <strong>Sam<\/strong>, Philip Lloyd-Evans as <strong>Gandalf<\/strong>, Stephen Wells as <strong>Aragorn<\/strong>, Michael Clifton-Thompson as <strong>Gollum<\/strong>, Helen Jarmany as <strong>\u00c9owyn<\/strong>, Huw Llywelyn as <strong>Bilbo<\/strong>, Emma Mary Llewellyn as <strong>Arwen<\/strong>, Laurence Cole as <strong>Boromir<\/strong>\/<strong>Denethor<\/strong>, Martin Lloyd as <strong>Treebeard<\/strong>\/<strong>Herb Master<\/strong>, Helen Greenaway as <strong>Lobelia\/Ioreth<\/strong>, Rosie Hay as <strong>Gwaihir<\/strong>, Sophie Yelland as the <strong>Barrow-wight<\/strong>, Louise Ratcliffe as <strong>Lindir, <\/strong>with George Newton-Fitzgerald and Jasey Hall taking on a plethora of roles. Angharad Morgan will also be reprising her role as <strong>Galadriel <\/strong>from <em>The Silmarillion<\/em>. Our new cast members and their characters will be introduced as the recording process continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those who have enjoyed the composer\u2019s large-scale setting of <em>The Silmarillion<\/em> will be pleased to discover that the music inhabits the same musical world as before, with many ideas and themes continued and expanded into <em>The Lord of the Rings<\/em>. The \u201cmusical chapters\u201d also incorporate other works by the composer such as his earlier Tolkien songs (already available on CD) which now assume greater significance in the course of the whole structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although the text is inevitably abridged, it adheres without any but the most minor alterations to the author\u2019s original words, and the original plot development remains unchanged \u2013 including such elements as Tom Bombadil, the Barrow-wight and the \u2018scouring of the Shire\u2019. And some other passages, such as the coronation and wedding of Aragorn, are given expanded musical treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Further tales from Tolkien in music<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Also coming early 2025, a complete recording of Paul Corfield Godfrey\u2019s solo piano works played by renowned British concert pianist Duncan Honeybourne. This will include, amongst other works, the epic piano rondo <em>Akallab\u00eath<\/em>, a solo piano version of the Wedding March from <em>The Fall of Gondolin<\/em>, and a new work composed specifically for Duncan and this album \u2013 &#8216;The Passing of Arwen&#8217;. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information about the work please visit: www.paulcorfieldgodfrey.co.uk<br>For more information about the recording by Volante Opera Productions please visit: www.volanteopera.wales<br>Updates about the recording process will be posted to our social media feeds:<br>DISCORD: https:\/\/discord.gg\/J6bQFHygr7<br>FACEBOOK: Volante Opera Productions, The Music of Paul Corfield Godfrey<br>INSTAGRAM\/THREADS: @volanteopera<br>TWITTER\/X: @OperaVolante, @TheCorfield<br>Recordings and scores of Epic Scenes from <em>The Silmarillion<\/em> and <em>Akallab\u00eath <\/em>and other Tolkien Works are available from Volante Opera Productions\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.volanteopera.wales\/category\/all-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"website\">website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.volanteopera.wales\/lordoftherings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Volante's website\">Volante&#8217;s website<\/a> for lots more information, including more details on casting\/characters, chapter breakdown, and synopsis. So much to look forward to; we can&#8217;t wait to hear these pieces in full. Now we hope they may be brought to the stage one day&#8230; Meanwhile here&#8217;s Godfrey&#8217;s &#8216;Lament for Boromir&#8217; &#8211; enjoy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe class=\"youtube-player lazyload\" width=\"1170\" height=\"659\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6nxvzZ98LS4?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Texts by J.R.R. Tolkien from\u00a0<em>The Lord of the Rings<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0<em>The Adventures of Tom Bombadil<\/em>\u00a0by permission of the Estate of the author, HarperCollins Publishers and Middle-earth Enterprises.<\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our good friends at Volante Opera have been in touch with very exciting news! You may remember, in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":117865,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[198,197,22,153,35,18,4092,495,83,6,4061,1359,98,240,148,149,152,154],"tags":[792,4064,4065,221,2014,2858,2021,4193,4063],"class_list":["post-117859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fans-creations","category-fans","category-headlines","category-tolkien-life","category-lotr-books","category-merchandise","category-middle-earth-enterprises","category-miscellaneous","category-merchandise-music","category-tolkbooks","category-recordings-shop","category-shop","category-silmarillion","category-stage","category-hobbit","category-lotr","category-tolkien","category-tolkien-estate","tag-jrr-tolkien","tag-opera","tag-paul-corfield-godfrey","tag-the-hobbit","tag-the-lord-of-the-rings","tag-tolkien-estate","tag-tom-bombadil","tag-volante-opera","tag-welsh-national-opera"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/volante-opera.webp","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1tLoH-uEX","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117859","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=117859"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117859\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":117867,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117859\/revisions\/117867"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/117865"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=117859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=117859"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=117859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}