The London English Song Festival returns with Over There! This dramatic, staged performance of song and poetry commemorates the American entry into World War One and depicts the colliding worlds of England and the US through an exploration of song and the spoken word.
A stellar cast of singers is accompanied by William Vann on the piano and readings from actor Richard Bryan.
In addition to three evening performances, there are two educational matinees for children.
Katie Bray mezzo soprano
Nick Pritchard tenor
Craig Colclough bass-baritone
William Vann piano
Louise Williams viola
Programme
Poetry and speeches
'Who’s for the Game' – Jessie Pope (1868-1941)
Speech to Congress, April 2 2017 – Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924)
'England and America' – Florence T. Holt (1874-1955)
'To the USA' – Robert Bridges (1844-1930)
'I have a Rendez-vous with Death' – Alan Seeger (1888-1916)
'With an Identity Disc'
'Strange Meeting'
'Anthem for Doomed Youth' – Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)
Popular song
'Over There' – George M. Cohan (1878-1942)
'I don’t know where I’m going but I’m on my way' – George Fairman (1881-1962)
'When Yankee Doodle learns to parlez-vous Français' – Ed Nelson & Will Hart
Art Song & instrumental
'The Soldier' - Rupert Brooke (1887-1915)
'Blow out you Bugles' - Rupert Brooke
'The Cost' - Eric Thirkell Cooper (1886-1960)
'In Boyhood' - A. E. Housman (1859-1936)
'A Garrison Churchyard' - A. E. Housman
For Remembrance' piano solo – John Ireland (1879-1962)
'Lights Out' Edward Thomas (1878-1917) – Ivor Gurney (1890-1937)
'In Flanders Fields' - John McCrae (1872-1918)
'Tom sails away'
'He is there' – Charles Ives (1874-1954)
'Suicide in the trenches' - Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967)
'If you forget' - Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy (1883-1929) – Ian Venables (b. 1955)
Elegy (excerpt) viola & piano – Herbert Howells (1892-1983)