Nelson at Sadler's wells, 1954. Act I. The Palazzo Sessa, Naples, 1798

Description	:	Sadler’s Wells staged Nelson in their 1954/5 season with the première taking place on 22 September. Reviews of the first performance noted much of value, praising in particular the success of the musical characterisation and the richness of the vocal melody. The instrumentation was described as deft, interesting and often delightful with a lyrical freshness pervading the score. Dramatic weaknesses marred the experience for some critics who found the central conflict between Nelson’s passion for Emma and the call of duty unconvincing, resulting in a lack of tension and sense of frustration, with Nelson failing to appear heroic. Despite the opera’s warm reception at Sadler’s Wells it has only been revived in a B.B.C. studio recording made in 1983, and a London concert performance by the Chelsea Opera Group in 1988. This must have had an effect on Berkeley who, despite writing three further operas, the comic A Dinner Engagement, the biblical-pastoral Ruth and the classical Castaway, only returned to grand opera towards the end of this life with Faldon Park, which illness prevented him from completing. In this scene from Act I, Nelson is the guest of honour after the victory of the Nile. Opera produced by George Devine, sets by Felix Kelly, costumes by Motley, conducted by Vilem Tausky.
Copyright	:	Photo: Denis de Marney