The Seal-woman: A Celtic Folk Opera

At the heart of this 'Celtic Folk Opera' are Marjory Kennedy-Fraser's carefully collected traditional songs from the Outer Hebrides, expertly woven into a libretto that brings the legend of the Selkie — the Seal-Woman — to life through the dreams and visions of the Cailleach, an old 'maker of songs'. Sir Granville Bantock, renowned for his "masterful orchestration" (BBC Music Magazine), complements Kennedy-Fraser's original accompaniments with a richly detailed and atmospheric score. First staged at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 1924, The Sea/-Woman has never previously enjoyed a complete professional recording. The Orchestra of Scottish Opera is conducted by British music specialist John Andrews and provides a beautifully nuanced performance, performed by a distinguished cast including mezzo-sopranos Catherine Carby as the Seal-Woman and Yvonne Howard as the mysterious Cailleach. The Selkie myth tells of the seal-people who come ashore every seven years and shed their skins to take human form, and are trapped in that form if their skins are stolen. The story remains relevant today, underscoring themes of identity, belonging, and the tensions between different worlds. Indeed, the Selkie was recently featured alongside eight other UK legends from Beowulf to Loch Ness in Royal Mail's 'Myths and Legends' stamp series. Founded in 2014, Retrospect Opera, an energetic independent recording company and charity devoted to reviving neglected operas and related works of the British Isles prior to 1945, recorded this Celtic Folk Opera in Glasgow in 2024.

Composer: Marjory Kennedy-Fraser

Number of Discs: 2

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