Item 56 - Letter from Donald Tovey to R. C. Trevelyan

1 item

39 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh. - Thinks all going well so far [with the production of "The Bride of Dionysus"] except for the disappointment that one of the best local performers is now unavailable. Tovey's friend and solicitor [Charles] Guthrie will deal with cash transactions. Asks if Trevelyan is prepared for a 'much larger expense' than Tovey's initial estimate of two thousand pounds; reminds him that something will come in from the box-office. Cannot take the orchestra through the score in fewer than six rehearsals, two for each act. Trevelyan must be firm in his support of Tovey when Hedmont [producer] and probably Ricketts [designer] want to make cuts. Tovey states that he will not conduct or attend a performance with cuts; if necessary, the local man [David Stephen] who is scheduled to conduct one performance can take them all, and Tovey 'can go abroad for a very necessary cure'. However, Hedmont is very successful in getting people to work with him: has the reputation of 'getting things done in 3 minutes over the heads of all the trade-union jibbings & jobbings' and the singers are all devoted to him. Is sure he will be able to get the singers to want to do the whole opera. As the financier as well as author, Trevelyan must be very firm. If it is a 'physical impossibility' to perform the whole piece, Tovey would rather omit the first part of Act II than 'put up with local mutilations', but they should not mention that possibility unless they must.