Our Man in Havana
Composer:
Malcolm Williamson
Libretto: Sidney Gilliat based on a book by
Graham Greene
Malcolm Williamson�s opera Our Man in Havana resides in one of
those obscure but rewarding blind alleys of 20th century opera.
Written in response to a commission from Sadler�s Wells opera it was
premiered in 1963 and wanders happily through the musical worlds of film
music, American musical comedy, English light music of the period, and a
variety of more rigorous classical genres in in which the composer was
already accomplished.
The subject was an unusual choice for an opera of that time. It is based
on a dark comic novel by Graham Greene (an author who was already topping
the best-sellers list) and had recently been made into a successful film
featuring Alec Guinness, No�l Coward, Ralph Richardson and others. In the
present day we are used to risk-averse promoters only willing to stage
musicals and stage extravaganzas that are based on stories and characters
that have recently proved popular in other genres. However, in 1963 it was
unexpected for an opera composer to choose as the basis for an opera a book
by a living popular author, recently made into a popular film and referring
(if somewhat ironically) to contemporary events.
With a libretto by Sidney Gilliat, Williamson�s opera was duly premiered
and extremely well received � one critic pronouncing it �the greatest
first-opera since Peter Grimes�. It sat
in what was arguably a new genre � one where the audience�s familiarity with
the language and shorthand of film music, opera, operetta, musical comedy,
popular light music and various facets of classical music were all drawn
into play in much the same way that Shakespeare roamed high and low through
the linguistic shorthand of his age. Perhaps its closest relative at the
time was Bernstein�s Candide.
The overture begins with an uneasy unison passage full of irregular
rhythms. It is classic filmic shorthand to indicate that �sinister things
are afoot�. From that point on for almost three hours (in a full
performance) Williamson moves effortlessly and with wonderfully crafted
orchestration through a series of genres. There is a waltz song which could
be straight from Rogers & Hammerstein, a
passacaglia and
threnody (which may well pay indirect tribute to
Britten�s use of those forms in
Peter Grimes and Albert Herring
respectively), harp and string flourishes familiar from the likes of Eric
Coates� light music, melodrama accompaniments that are both sinister and
tongue in cheek and invite synchronised �Mickey Mousing� from the actors,
several poignant arioso-reflections for the main characters and occasional
languid and sultry contributions for chorus and orchestra. Running
throughout are a series of Cuban dances. To be more precise, they are
�Cuban-style� dances in the manner of the better crafted travelogue music of
the time. Cubans both then and now might recognise the melodies as being �in
the Cuban style� but not the basis of the rhythms � but this is, after all,
a tongue-in-cheek portrayal of an �exotic location� � not an exercise in
ethnomusicology.
All of this could, in the hands of a lesser composer, quickly descend
into pastiche, but Williamson is able to meld the lot together into a
convincing whole that still displays the composer�s own distinctive voice.
With critical success at its debut it appeared that Williamson might have
created a new genre � a sort of through-composed musical-comedy / opera
using film music vernacular - which could then be mined by himself and
others.
Alas, it was not to be. Williamson�s lack of social acceptability in the
Role of Master of the Queen�s Music saw him quietly airbrushed from polite
society along with this opera. It remains a rarely-performed but rewarding
work.
___________________
___________________