A Dinner Engagement

Album by Sir Lennox Berkeley & Roderick Williams & Yvonne Kenny & Jean Rigby & Anne Collins & City of London Sinfonia & Richard Hickox

A Dinner Engagement is a one-act comic opera by the English composer Lennox Berkeley, premiered in 1954. The work features concise melodic writing and chamber-oriented orchestration with elements of mid-20th-century neoclassicism and English pastoralism, reflecting Berkeley's contribution to post-war British opera and theatre music.
First released: June 2014

Tracklist

  1. 1.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 1: Salt, pepper, olive oil (Lord Dunmow, Lady Dunmow, Boy)
    4:01
  2. 2.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 1: I'm sorry, Milady, I came through the front door (Mrs. Kneebone, Lady Dunmow, Lord Dunmow)
    3:25
  3. 3.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 1: In the summer of my time (Lord Dunmow, Lady Dunmow, Mrs. Kneebone)
    4:06
  4. 4.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 1: At Missis Ellibank's in Wimbledon (Mrs. Kneebone, Lady Dunmow, Lord Dunmow)
    2:27
  5. 5.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 1: Mother, please can I help? (Susan, Lady Dunmow, Mrs. Kneebone, Lord Dunmow)
    5:27
  6. 6.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 1: He was a quiet little boy (Lady Dunmow, Susan, Mrs. Kneebone, Lord Dunmow)
    3:30
  7. 7.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 1: Prenez 6 belles tomates (Lady Dunmow, Lord Dunmow, Mrs. Kneebone, Susan)
    3:31
  8. 8.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 1: Is this the residence of the Earl and Countess of Dunmow? (Prince Philippe, Mrs. Kneebone)
    1:46
  9. 9.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 2: So this, dear Lady Dunmow, is your drawing room (Duchess, Lady Dunmow, Prince Philippe, Lord Dunmow)
    2:12
  10. 10.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 2: I never moved a muscle (Lord Dunmow, Lady Dunmow, Duchess, Prince Philippe)
    2:20
  11. 11.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 2: Forgive my curiosity, but is your servant that young girl …? (Prince Philippe, Lord Dunmow, Lady Dunmow, Duchess)
    3:28
  12. 12.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 2: Come and see our little garden (Lady Dunmow, Lord Dunmow, Prince Philippe, Duchess)
    2:06
  13. 13.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 2: This way, Ma'am, through the back door (Lord Dunmow, Duchess, Prince Philippe, Susan)
    2:50
  14. 14.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 2: Oh, shall I kneel in shame … ? (Susan, Prince Philippe)
    2:50
  15. 15.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 2: I like to imagine how these must have looked (Susan, Prince Philippe)
    4:15
  16. 16.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 2: Mon aimee attend la lune (Prince Philippe)
    2:08
  17. 17.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 2: Kiss her at once! (Duchess, Prince Philippe, Susan, Lord Dunmow, Lady Dunmow, Boy)
    3:25
  18. 18.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 2: Let her beauty be her dowry (Duchess, Susan, Prince Philippe, Lord Dunmow, Lady Dunmow, Boy, Mrs. Kneebone)
    2:43
  19. 19.
    A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45, Scene 2: My Lords, Ladies, Duchess and gentlemen! (Mrs. Kneebone, Prince Philippe, Susan)