Harrison Birtwistle (b1934) PUNCH and JUDY A TRAGICAL COMEDY OR A COMICAL TRADGEDY IN ONE ACT SCENARIO AND LIBRETTO BY STEPHEN PRUSLIN London Sinfonietta - David Atherton NMC D138 [ 2 CDs ] BY STEPHEN PRUSLIN When I first met Harrison Birtwistle, he already had a specific dream of a Punch and Judy opera, while I as a pianist had no thoughts of writing any libretto whatsoever.   Less than a year later we realised to our amazement that a collaboration had spontaneously taken place; our talks about opera had led to an agreement about this opera, which had become a powerful mutual obsession. I proceeded to write a scenario, on the basis of which the work was commissioned by the English Opera Group.   The libretto and music were then written swiftly and with virtually no further mutual consultation.   The first performances at the 1968 Aldeburgh Festival were conducted by David Atherton, who also conducted at that year's Edinburgh International Festival and at the Sadler's Wells Theatre during the following winter.   Within the next few years a totally new production was mounted at the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis.   In 1979 the London Sinfonietta revived the work in a concert performance which immediately preceded this recording. What we were not trying to do was to write a children's opera that would faithfully represent the traditional Punch and Judy puppet-play.   Anyone who has witnessed that entertainment in its usual fairground or seaside setting will know that there is very little an operatic version could add to the cogent and forceful original.   No, what we wanted was something quite different: a stylized and ritualistic drama for adults. … PRETTY POLLY / WITCH • PHYLLIS BRYN-JULSON JUDY / FORTUNE-TELLER • JAN DEGAETANI LAWYER • PHILIP LANGRIDGE PUNCH • STEPHEN ROBERTS CHOREGOS/ JACK KETCH • DAVID WILSON-JOHNSON DOCTOR • JOHN TOMLINSON THE LONDON SINFONIETTA • DAVID ATHERTON [  1.] Prologue     4'31 [  2.] Homage to Judy     7'39 [  3.] Resolve I     1'07 [  4.] Passion Chorale I     2'11 [  5.] Toccata I B     5'18 [  6.] Pretty Polly's Rhapsody I     2'25 [  7.] Sinfonia     8'13 [  8.] War-Cry     4'55 [  9.] Toccata II B     5'28 [10.] Pretty Polly's Rhapsody II     5'54       CD 1 total     47'41 [  1.] Roundel - 1st movement     6'28 [  2.] Recitative and Passion Aria II     3'35 [  3.] Proclamation III     7'43 [  4.] Nightmare     2'17 [  5.] Tarot-Game - 1st Draw     5'31 [  6.] Quartet     12'32 [  7.] Toccata III A     3'16 [  8.] Melodrama IV     3'17 [  9.] Death March     3'37 [10.] Triumph     6'44       CD 2 total     51'43 NMC Recordings are distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading, P.O.Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone (03) 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile (03) 9444 6879