Ep, 143 The Wreckers by Ethel Smyth

About this episode

This episode explores the life and work of composer Ethel Smyth, focusing on her opera The Wreckers and its historical context.

Cornwall in the mid-eighteenth century was a remote and isolated region along the southwest coast of Britain, one where a ship and its crew might easily be dashed on the jagged rocks. And sometimes, that catastrophe might be nudged along by missing or misplaced warning lights. The inhabitants who practiced this deception often justified their actions, claiming to be favored by God. Stories of these “wreckers” of ships and a visit to the desolate region fired the imagination of composer Ethel Smyth, leading to the creation of The Wreckers, or Les Naufrageurs, as it was called in its original French. For over one hundred years Ethel Smyth held the distinction of being the only female composer to have a work (Der Wald) performed at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in 1903. She is not as well-known today as many of her male contemporaries, though she was exceptionally well-regarded in her day. Join Pat and guest co-host Gerald Malone in getting to know this fascinating and talented woman and one of her masterpieces. Gerald Malone’s website, TheRestIsOpera.com is brimming with commentary on opera productions that he has seen around the world, as well as “scuttlebutt” about opera from a…

People in this episode

Host: Pat

Guest: Gerald Malone

Topics covered

• Ethel Smyth
• The Wreckers
• opera history
• female composers
• Cornwall
• shipwrecks
• 19th century music

Keywords

• Ethel Smyth
• The Wreckers
• opera
• female composer
• Cornwall
• shipwrecks
• Metropolitan Opera
• 19th century

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: TheRestIsOpera.com

Books & works: The Wreckers, Der Wald

Places: Cornwall, New York

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