Smyth: The Wreckers

Opera no 74

Smyth: The Wreckers

Soloists

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

Odaline de la Martinez

I had included Ethel Smyth's double concerto in the list of pieces I didn't ever want to hear again at the end of last year's project https://andrew365newpieces.blogspot.com/2025/02/smyth-concerto-for-violin-and-horn.html so I wasn't expecting much from this opera.

In fact I thought that it was a really good piece - far more impressive that than two previous operas in this part of the project covering 20th century British opera. It is far more in the central European operatic mainstream than either of those pieces and to my way of thinking all the better for it. In fact were it not for the text you wouldn't think it was a British opera at all - and even then it is worth remembering that Smyth originally set the text in French.

There was some extremely dramatic music here - the big scene at the end of the first act in particular make a big impression. But throughout the score Smyth showed a complete command of pacing, with moments of contemplation giving way to high energy ensembles. And the orchestration was completely assured. 

Peter Grimes, another opera set by the coast, was only a generation away from The Wreckers. While that is undoubtedly a much greater work Smyth’s opera can be set next to is without embarrassment. Indeed the sound of the bells in the final scene of this work was a distinct pre-echo of Britten’s use of bells, both in Peter Grimes and elsewhere. I’ll have to find out whether the two compoers ever met and whether Britten knew any of Smyth’s music.