Composer Janet Oates reflects on how Hidden Lovers came to be...

Composing is often a lonely business. Unless you’re writing for a commission, you’re often working on lovely, complex, personal music that may never be performed. In the past few years, I’ve been leading projects that involve several – or many – composers and a team of musicians, which has been wonderful – there’s nothing like working with other people to make your music seem relevant and alive. So, despite having had two fully-formed opera ideas already in my head and computer for many years, with nary a note written, I was delighted when Simon got in touch with me through a mutual friend. A complete libretto and a motivated creator? Count me in! 

I’m a fan of French literature, and know some of Maupassant’s works, but even so, a 19^th-century story centring an aristocratic young man isn’t the sort of topic I would normally be thrilled about.  Luckily, the rich poetry and nuanced themes of Simon’s libretto drew me in (and continues to do so even now the composing is finished), and we decided to just get something done even if nothing came of it.

Guy de Maupassant

Originally, Simon was thinking in terms of a full-length 3-act opera with full symphony orchestra – so we had to have a couple of conversations about that! We tweaked the libretto and made judicious cuts, and I decided on a string trio with auxiliary percussion and small female chorus as the accompaniment to our quartet of soloists (another reduction from the initial grand idea).  At about this time, I was preparing to attend a composition course hosted by CoMA – contemporary Music for All, with whom I have strong ties - focusing on writing for strings.  I wrote a short string trio using musical ideas I had been gathering when thinking about the opera: motifs, a folk tune from Provence, various extended string techniques. Hearing this performed and discussed on the course was the motivation I needed to get writing more of the opera.

The Tête-á-tête Opera Festival has been on my radar for many years: I’ve been to many shows and love the concept as well as the results. When it became clear that Simon and I had something we were falling in love with, I approached Bill Bankes-Jones through the formal channels and things were set in motion. The wonders of zoom calls, many contacts shared and explored, inviting musicians I respected to join us and fighting with grant applications was time-consuming and at times wearisome, but I am so happy with the team we now have around us. Fabulous singers and impressive musicians, a director and MD with authority and experience, a designer who is not only creative but highly practical – we’ll make it happen!

Janet Oates.