# Robert Ward - The Crucible (1961)



## JAS (Mar 6, 2013)

I don't know how much interest there might be in this particular opera, but I mention it as perhaps of interest to at least a few. (It is probably rather unusual fare, but not inappropriate for Halloween.) This is apparently an American opera, based on the play by Miller, somewhat in the tradition of Copland and Howard Hanson (which makes sense as Hanson was one of Robert Ward's teachers). Robert Ward (1917-2013) wrote just one opera and one piano concerto, but 6 symphonies and a good deal of ceremonial music: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Ward_(composer)

A record label called Kritzerland has just reissued a remastered recording on CD, which sounds pretty good based on the samples. (I must admit that I am not familiar with this work, or this composer beyond what I have been picking up on the internet based on the announcement from the label. There are some very oldish sounding recordings of some of his works on youtube.)

The CD of The Crucible is a limited release, although my guess would be that even just 500 copies will take some time to sell. Anyone interested in at least hearing samples may do so at their website: http://www.kritzerland.com/crucible.htm


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

In fact, Ward wrote several operas, though "The Crucible" is indeed his major success . It won him a Pulitzer Prize, and has been performed several times in the last fifty years. It's based in a play by Arthur Miller on the Salem's trials. We can listen to the complete opera in youtube:






However, my personal favorite is "Roman Fever", based on Edith Wharton, and wrote back in the 1990s:


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

I was lucky to have Jamie Barton at Glimmerglass a season ago. What a total delight as the wife of John Proctor She made that show come alive.


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

JAS said:


> I don't know how much interest there might be in this particular opera, but I mention it as perhaps of interest to at least a few. (It is probably rather unusual fare, but not inappropriate for Halloween.) This is apparently an American opera, based on the play by Miller, somewhat in the tradition of Copland and Howard Hanson (which makes sense as Hanson was one of Robert Ward's teachers). Robert Ward (1917-2013) wrote just one opera and one piano concerto, but 6 symphonies and a good deal of ceremonial music: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Ward_(composer)
> 
> A record label called Kritzerland has just reissued a remastered recording on CD, which sounds pretty good based on the samples. (I must admit that I am not familiar with this work, or this composer beyond what I have been picking up on the internet based on the announcement from the label. There are some very oldish sounding recordings of some of his works on youtube.)
> 
> The CD of The Crucible is a limited release, although my guess would be that even just 500 copies will take some time to sell. Anyone interested in at least hearing samples may do so at their website: http://www.kritzerland.com/crucible.htm


To continue with the Halloween theme, I understand there's also an opera (not by Ward) based on Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow":


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## bisque (Jul 23, 2017)

Hi. I own Kritzerland and yes we've just reissued The Crucible, which is a dream come true for me. Back in 1988 I had a label called Bay Cities and we issued a LOT of Robert Ward and I became very friendly with him. It was a huge regret that another label already had The Crucible and a triple regret when I actually heard it - terrible mastering, low-level, no life. They've been selling it for thirty years in that mastering and I'm not quite sure how, since their license would most certainly not have been in perpetuity. But I made a deal with the rights' holders and the publisher and my wonderful mastering engineer James Nelson has really worked magic on this - it sounds amazing. As to the opera itself, it is fantastic. You can read about the release and hear samples at www.kritzerland.com. We've mostly done soundtrack reissues and Broadway stuff (over 250 releases by now), but I just decided to take us into some classical releases and we have more planned - (we've already done two prior to The Crucible).


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