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Overview

Synopsis

The Wreckers is set amongst the legends of the Cornish coast, where it was thought that ships were deliberately led astray by the people who lived on the coast, so that they would wreck on the rocks and could be plundered.

This particular village is led by the Wesleyan preacher, Pascoe, who preaches the same laws as his forefathers: it is God’s will that the ships will be wrecked on the coast, it is his way of providing for his faithful servants who would otherwise starve. But recently, there have been fewer shipwrecks, and the people are going hungry. When a rumor arises that someone has been lighting a beacon to warn the ships away, betraying them all, the people must find the traitor. During the storm that night, Pascoe is found lying next to the embers of a fire. Can their faithful leader be the traitor they were looking for? Why would he betray them?

This enduring story of faith and love, where two people betray their own kin to rescue strangers, it set against Smyth’s beautifully rich score. Although often overlooked, this is an opera that should stand proudly alongside the others of its time.

Show Information

Music
Ethel Smyth
Based on the Play/Book/Film
Adapted from the Cornish Drama Les Naufrageurs by Henry Brewster
Category
Opera
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
3
First Produced
1906
Genres
Drama, Romance, Historical/Biographical, Tragedy
Settings
Period, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
Cornwall, Cornish Coast, 18th Century, Wesleyan Revival
Cast Size
medium
Orchestra Size
Large
Dancing
None
Licensor
None/royalty-free
Ideal For
Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Mature Adult, Young Adult, Adult, Elderly Characters, Medium Cast

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Thirza

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Avis

Lead

Female

Soprano

Mark

Lead

Male

Tenor

Pascoe

Lead

Male

Baritone, Bass-Baritone

Lawrence

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Harvey

Supporting

Male

Bass

Tallan

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Jack

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Chorus

Ensemble

Either Gender

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto

Songs

Although this opera was originally written in French, its premiere was in German, and it has subsequently been performed more often in English and German, so these versions are given for the breakdown below. The English is taken from the translation by H. Decker and John Bernhoff.

Act One

Overture

Scene One - A cornish village on a cliff above the sea.

‘Der Hell’gen Seelen fürchten nun micht mehr den Tod’ / ‘God’s Chosen People shall not pay the price of sin!’ - Chorus

‘Halt da!’ / ‘Stay friends!’ - Tallan, Jack, Harvey, Chorus

‘Gott sei Lob!’ / ‘Hark! A storm!’ - Harvey, Tallan, Chorus

Scene Two

‘Nein, ihr braucht mich nicht!’ / ‘Well may such as ye’ - Pascoe, Harvey, Chorus

Scene Three

‘Er hat wohl die alte Predigt gehalten’ / ‘Did the prophet say that God in His anger’ - Avis, Chorus

‘Als jüngst com Fischen heim ich kehrte’ / ‘Last evening when my work was ended’ - Lawrence, Avis, Jack, Tallan, Harvey, Chorus

‘Es ist seltsam, was du da berichtest’ / ‘Tis strange! Methinks my ears deceive me!’ - Tallan, Harvey, Avis, Lawrence, Chorus

Scene Four

‘Thurza, kommst du zur Kirche mit uns?’ / ‘Here comes Thirza to join in our prayers!’ - Harvey, Thirza, Tallan, Jack, Avis, Chorus

‘Schnell, den Namen des, der uns verraten!’ / ‘Tell me comrade, have you a clue, or was it fancy?’ - Tallan, Lawrence, Chorus

Scene Five

‘Der Regen strömt am Bergeshang’ / The wind is cold, the sky is sad’ - Mark, Jack, Avis

‘Sieh da, so heiltest du dein Wort?’ / ‘Good-day! Tis thus you keep your word!’ - Avis, Mark

‘Kind, ist auch hart mein Word’ / ‘Child, though my words give pain’ - Mark, Avis

Scene Six

‘Ha! Ha! Ha! Die Ratt’ ist da!’ / ‘Ha! Ha! Ha! The rat’s in sight!’ - Avis

Scene Seven

‘Sie kommt!’ / ‘She comes’ - Avis, Thirza

‘O Liebe, du goldner Strahl’ / ‘O Love, o thou lightning ray’ - Thirza

Scene Eight

‘Gottes heil’ges Haus steht dort!’ / ‘Yonder lies the house of God’ - Pascoe, Avis, Thirza

‘Sollte dieses Kind schlimme Wegegeh’n?’ / ‘Is this foolish child lost on evil paths?’ - Pascoe

Scene Nine

‘Warum bist du hier und nicht beim Beten?’ / ‘I thought to have found you in the chapel’ - Pascoe, Thirza

‘Mit Wind und Wellen im Bunde’ / ‘The hunter recks not of mercy’ - Thirza, Chorus

‘So kann nur reden, wer im Wahn’ / ‘These are the words of one distraught’ - Pascoe, Chorus

‘Wer fromm gelebt’ / Our ransomed souls’ - Pascoe, Chorus, Thirza

Scene Ten

‘Ach! Wie war die Predigt schön!’ / ‘Ah! Thus should the Word be preached!’ - Lawrence, Harvey, Preacher, Chorus

‘Sieh die schwarzen Wolken!’ / ‘Mark how strange the light is!’ - A Man

‘Seht ihn dort im Traum verloren!’ / ‘He is lost in thought and hears not!’ - Lawrence, Harvey, Tallan, Avis, Jack, Pascoe

Scene Eleven

‘Der Verrater is Pasko!’ / ‘The traitor is Pascoe!’ - Avis, Harvey, Jack, Tallen, Lawrence

‘Tod ihm, wenn er’s vollbracht’ / ‘Who breaks our law must die!’ - Tallan, Lawrence, Harvey, Thirza

‘Nehmt Hörner mit und von Zeit zu Zeit blas jeder einmal’ / ‘Take horns with you and blow now and again’ - Lawrence, Harvey, Tallan, Avis

‘Ein Schiff treibt der Sturm zum Fels her!’ / ‘A barque on the rocks is driving!’ - Chorus, Harvey, Lawrence, Tallan, Jack, Avis

Act Two

Prelude “On the Cliffs of Cornwall”

Scene One

‘Halt da! Halt Da!’ / Stop knave! Stop knave!’ - Jack, Avis

‘Ich darf ihn nicht erzürnen’/ ‘I must soothe him’ - Avis, Jack, Mark

Scene Two

‘Ja, so geht’s in dieser Welt!’ / ‘Thus we come to know our worth!’ - Mark

“Ballad of the bones” ‘Wann gibst du Frieden meiner Seele Pein’ / When wilt thou give me peace from vain desire?’ - Mark

Scene Three

‘Marc! Lösch das Licht!’ / ‘Mark! Not tonight!’ - Thirza, Mark

‘Ach! Wend’ dich nicht von mir ab’ / ‘Lord! I have sought Thee by night’ - Pascoe, Thirza, Mark

Scene Four

‘Was leuchtet so seltsam durch die Nacht?’ / ‘What strange beam is this that lights the gloom?’ - Pascoe, Thirza

Scene Five

‘Hier liegt ein Mann’ / ‘Here lies a man’ - Lawrence, Harvey, Avis, Jack, Tallan

Act Three

Scene One - The interior of a huge cave

‘Nichts! Und wieder nichts!’ / ‘Naught, and ever naught’ - Chorus

‘Männer von Cornwall’ / ‘Men here assembled’ - Lawrence, Avis, Thirza, Chorus

‘In Gnad’ erleucht’ uns, o Herr’ / ‘Pray God for guidance and light’ - Lawrence, Avis, Jack, Tallan, Harvey, Chorus

‘Wie uns allen bekannt’ / ‘Since long weeks we are starving’ - Lawrence, Chorus

‘Wer darf es wagen, mir Befehle zu geben!’ / ‘I am not one to whom his fellows give orders!’ - Pascoe, Lawrence, Avis, Jack, Tallan, Harvey, Chorus

‘Ihr fragt, warum er’s tat?’ / ‘This man betrayed his flock’ - Avis

‘Du schlangenzüngig Weib’ / ‘I hear thy serpent tongue’ - Thirza, Lawrence, Avis, Harvey, Jack, Tallan, Chorus

Scene Two

‘Halt! Ich, Marc, war der Verrater!’ / ‘Stop! Tis I who have betrayed you!’ - Mark, Pascoe

‘Toll bist du, toll, wer dir glaubet!’ / ‘Mad thou art! Mad who believes thee!’ - Avis, Thirza, Jack, Mark, Tallan, Harvey, Chorus

(These final movements have unfortunately lost the German libretto from the score, so only the English is presented here.)

‘Hark the rising tide’ - Chorus, Lawrence,

‘Closed is the court and sealed the doom’ - Tallan, Harvey, Chorus

‘Nay! Die she shall not!’ - Pascoe, Thirza

‘Shall such as these find mercy?’ - Tallan, Mark, Lawrence, Pascoe, Thirza, Harvey, Chorus

‘With thy last breath, breathe not those words accursed’ - Pascoe, Lawrence, Tallan, Harvey, Mark, Chorus

‘Turn on me those eyes full of sea and sky’ - Mark, Thirza, Chorus

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

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Guide Written By:

Wendy Silvester

Wendy Silvester

Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.