King Priam

Homer's The Iliad provides the source material for Michael Tippett's 1962 second opera, but unlike the famed Greek epic, King Priam is a comparatively compact work, yet one that also carries considerable power, as is evident in this 1985 film featuring the Kent Opera. The composer's libretto centers on the tension between predetermined fate and free choice. The king of Troy is warned by a soothsayer that his infant son Paris will be the cause of his death along with the city's destruction, so he orders a soldier to kill the child. But instead the man leaves the boy with a shepherd, and years later Priam brings him back to the palace. Scenes follow depicting Paris's kidnapping of Helen and the major episodes in the subsequent siege of Troy—the killing of Patroclus by Hector, the death of Hector at Achilles's hand, Priam's plea for the return of his son's body, and the deaths of both Achilles and Priam. Tippett's music is mostly martial and propulsive, with the orchestral sound dominated by brass and percussion, but there are also some soothing interludes, including an aria for Achilles with only guitar accompaniment. This is not a filmed stage performance but rather a recreation for TV, shot close-up from various angles, with occasional flashbacks and other visual inserts (as well as some theatrical gore). It all works nicely, with the vocalism by Rodney Macann (Priam), Howard Haskin (Paris), Omar Ebrahim (Hector), and Neil Jenkins (Achilles) especially strong, while the company chorus and orchestra respond vigorously to Roger Norrington's leadership. Although the picture format is standard 4:3, the digitally enhanced PCM soundtrack is excellent. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)