Item 23 - Letter from Donald Tovey to R. C. Trevelyan

1 item

Their letters have crossed, and Tovey's suggestion about Acts II and III [of "The Bride of Dionysus"] was independent of Trevelyan's. The time interval [in Act II] is impossible as it stands. Had almost forgotten that his idea for the final chorus had taken so definite a shape: apologises for giving Trevelyan unnecessary trouble. Explains that it will not work for the opera to end on a solo by Ariadne: it is very different from [Wagner's] Isolde's Liebestod. Ariadne has had 'the longest and most varied monologue in any opera': hopes this will be feasible without cuts, as it will be 'the largest design ever attempted in dramatic music', though Trevelyan must not tell anyone he says so, especially F. S. Kelly. Still feels that there is too strong a trace of his own 'essentially prosaic', analytical ideas in Dionysus's new speech. Would not be surprised if by the end of the composition process 90 percent of Trevelyan's original readings were restored.