Holst: "The Perfect Fool" Ballet Suite (U.S. Marine Band)

ChristoVideo 2018-05-05

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The Perfect Fool is an opera in one act with music and libretto by the English composer Gustav Holst. Holst composed the work over the period of 1918 to 1922. The opera received its premiere at the Covent Garden Theatre, London on 14 May 1923. Holst had originally asked Clifford Bax to write the libretto, but Bax declined.

In the score, Holst pokes fun at the works of Verdi, Wagner's Parsifal and Debussy. In the opera, the part of the Fool consists of only one word. One interpretation of possible symbolism of the opera, from Donald Tovey, is that the Princess symbolizes the world of opera and the Fool represents the British public.

The opera was not a success, and audiences had found the story confusing. The introductory ballet music is much more often performed, separately as a suite.

I. Invocation and Dance of the Spirits of Earth (0:00)
II. Dance of the Spirits of Water (4:43)
III. Dance of the Spirits of Fire (7:43)

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