Sir Adrian Boult conducts Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius
The legendary 1968 recording with Peter Pears and Janet Baker — plus a behind-the-scenes documentary
Cast
Janet Baker — Mezzo-soprano
Peter Pears — Tenor
John Shirley-Quirk — Bass-baritone
London Philharmonic Orchestra — Orchestra
London Philharmonic Choir
Sir Adrian Boult — Conductor
Program notes
Long considered lost footage, this exceptional concert, which originally aired April 14, 1968, on the BBC, is a full-color performance of Edward Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius recorded inside the stunning Canterbury Cathedral and featuring three of the greatest voices of the era: mezzo-soprano Dame Janet Baker, tenor Sir Peter Pears, and bass-baritone John Shirley-Quirk. Conducted by Sir Adrian Boult, ardent champion and esteemed interpreter of Elgar’s works, this concert film — which required eight of the nine existing color cameras in the UK at the time — constitutes a rare and treasured artifact marking the beginning of high-quality color footage of British operatic productions.
Through archival footage, restored excerpts, and testimonies, the accompanying documentary sheds light on the particularly enthusiastic reception of this production, notably the private screening organized for Boult at the Television Centre. As a bonus, it also features a striking 1989 portrait of the conductor by the BBC in honor of his 100th birthday, presented by Vernon Handley. Together, these materials paint a picture of a humble yet determined musician and pay tribute to one of the key moments in Britain's musical and audiovisual history.
