Michael Letchford Artists

ROSETTA MUSIC PRODUCTIONS

Rosetta Music Productions is the brainchild of renowned conductor Tom Higgins and Michael Letchford. Their aim is to perform orchestral and operatic works which have been unjustly neglected since their premieres or which appear to have been ‘lost’: orchestral scores and parts no longer being readily available from publishers or copyright holders. Many hours can be spent tracing these vanished works which often may really be lost and beyond recall. Tom Higgins recently issued for the BBC Music Magazine the world-premiere recording of Sir Arthur Sullivan’s ‘The Rose of Persia’, the parts of which were thought not to be available in the United Kingdom. However, a set of parts was traced to a collection in Australia! In addition, Tom Higgins also discovered a rare manuscript which assisted Sir Charles Mackerras in the reconstruction of Sir Arthur Sullivan’s Cello Concerto.

One ‘lost’ work is ‘A Summer Night’ by G. H. Clutsam (1866-1951). This one act opera-comique was given its first performance by Sir Thomas Beecham at His Majesty’s Theatre, London in July 1910 followed by three more performances at Covent Garden as part of the Beecham Opera Season in November of the same year, when Maggie Teyte and Walter Hyde sang leading roles. Chappell published a vocal score but, despite a world-wide search, no trace has yet been found of any orchestral material. However, the search continues and we may one day perform ‘A Summer Night’, an opera admired by Sir Thomas Beecham, last heard over 90 years ago. The young Australian soprano Celeste Lazarenko has recorded the aria ‘Madonna mia’ from ‘A Summer Night’ with Tom Higgins at the piano. This is almost certainly the first recording of any music from ‘A Summer Night’ and it has not been heard for nearly a century. Any information regarding ‘A Summer Night’ would be greatly appreciated.

Celeste Lazarenko singing “Madonna Mia” from “A Summer Night”

Celeste Lazarenko singing “Madonna Mia” from “A Summer Night” with Tom Higgins at the piano Plans also the presentation of rarely performed works by Eric Coates, Sir Edward Elgar, Haydn Wood and Sir Arthur Sullivan