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Guildhall Opera Double Bill

Holst's Sāvitri & Weir's Blond Eckbert

— ,Silk Street Theatre
Illuminated doorway with purple hue in forest at night

Composed in 1916, Holst’s 35-minute opera tells the story of the title character’s devotion to her husband in the face of Death. Based on an episode from a Sanskrit epic, Holst used his studies of this ancient language to translate the story into his own English libretto, which combines with colourful orchestration to explore the power of love and questions of mortality.

Judith Weir also wrote her own libretto for her 1993 work Blond Eckbert, taking inspiration from the dark fairy tale by Romantic German writer Ludwig Tieck. The eerie, captivating opera by the Master of the King’s Music tells the story of Eckbert and his wife, whose solitary life together in the forest unravels after a mysterious visitor opens up a disturbing door to the past. This Guildhall production offers the chance to hear the one-act, ‘pocket’ version of the opera.

Tagged with: Classical music Guildhall School Theatre & dance

Casting information available on Guildhall School's website.

Approximate running time: 1 hour 50 minutes (including interval)

Please note that this production contains adult content, including themes of violence, death, suicide and mental illness. Haze will be used.

Presented by Guildhall School of Music & Drama

Creative team

  • Ashley Dean   director
  • Timothy Redmond   conductor
  •  Anna Bonomelli   designer
  • Andrew May   lighting designer
  • Jonathan Waller   fight director

Programme

  • Gustav Holst   Sāvitri
  • Judith Weir   Blond Eckbert*

*one-act, pocket version

  • ‘One of the gems of early 20th-century British music‘
    The Guardian on Sāvitri
  • ‘Hauntingly beautiful‘
    The Telegraph on Blonde Eckbert

Find out more

Digital Programme

You can access the digital programme for this production here:
Guildhall School Digital Programmes 

You will also be able to access the Digital Programme by using your mobile phone to scan a QR code posted at the entrance to the Silk Street Theatre. Free Wi-Fi will be available at the venue. Please note that there will be no printed programmes provided.

If you wish to print a copy at home, you will also find a print-friendly version at the link above. Please note that this version is not intended for viewing on a mobile device during the performance, and does not include biographies or supplemental materials. Please access the Digital Programme for that purpose.

Conductor Q&A

Read Guildhall School's Q&A with conductor Timothy Redmond to find out more about the works being featured in the double bill, and Timothy's own family connection with Holst's chamber opera.

Silk Street Theatre

Location
The Silk Street Theatre, Music Hall and Lecture Recital Room are located in the main Guildhall School building on Silk Street and for Barbican produced events the venue can also be accessed from the Barbican if you exit via the doors next to Barbican Kitchen on Level G. 

Address
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Silk Street
Barbican
London
EC2Y 8DT

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.