Hwn Yw Fy Mrawd: Paul Robeson, Arwr i Gymru, Arwr i’r Byd (Libretto. 2018)
To open National Eisteddfod, Cardiff, 2018,
Libretto: Mererid Hopwood
Composer: Robat Arwyn
ISBN: 978-1910594551
Publisher: Cyhoeddiadau Sain
- Submitting institution
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University of Wales Trinity Saint David / Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant
- Unit of assessment
- 23 - Education
- Output identifier
- 23-MH05
- Type
- J - Composition
- Month
- January
- Year
- 2019
- URL
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- Supplementary information
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- Request cross-referral to
- 26 - Modern Languages and Linguistics
- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
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- Research group(s)
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- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- Research process.
The main research strands: 1) Paul Robeson’s life (activism, repertoire, Welsh links), 2) the challenges of telling the story of a black superstar with a cast that included a white superstar, in the context of a Welsh-only festival, 3) using words to encourage a varied musical composition (gospel, classical, folk, lyrical, protest, traditional Welsh male-voice), 4) practical aspects of devising production for large-scale theatre (Wales Millennium Centre, WMC) with only 1 ½ days on-site rehearsal. Research included: archive: films, recordings, interviews, autobiography, biography; discussions with trustees of Paul Robeson Trust Wales ; exploratory meetings with composer, soloist, dancer, chorus, stage and TV directors.
Research insights.
The key was to devise a plot enabling the star of the performance to be Bryn Terfel, but the star of the show to be Paul Robeson. Terfel was cast as a schoolteacher who idolises Robeson; Robeson himself was depicted by dancer, Matthew Gough. Intercultural dialogue was facilitated through engaging ‘Black Voices‘ ensemble (Birmingham). Including pupils from Ninian Park Primary brought an unprecedented degree of diversity to the Eisteddfod stage. A two-storey scaffold gave the omnipresent Paul Robeson a vantage point, while a largely static SATB and youth choir commented on the action. Projected film footage brought depth to the story as did archive recordings of Paul Robeson’s voice. Seventeen scenes depicting episodes in Robeson’s life, each with a song of distinct genre, resulted in a varied score and hybrid performance: part concert, part musical, part opera.
Dissemination.
Published Libretto (ISBN: 978-1910594551).
Two performances, WMC, 3rd August 2018, to open National Eisteddfod (audience: 3600).
Televised for S4C, first broadcast 21 October 2018 19:00
CD including 6 songs. Caneuon Robat Arwyn III - Dal y Freuddwyd (Sain, 2020, ASIN: B00AD7EAOW)
- Author contribution statement
- -
- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
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