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The Rake's Progress (1951)

Libretto: Wystan Hugh Auden, Chester Kallman
Fritz Reiner, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera Chorus, Hilde Güden (Soprano), Blanche Thebom (Mezzo-soprano), Eugene Conley (Tenor), Mack Harrell (Baritone), Martha Lipton (Mezzo-soprano), Norman Scott (Bass), Paul Franke (Tenor), Lawrence Davidson (Baritone)
February 1953, New York, Metropolitan Opera House

  • Act I

    • Scene 1. 'The woods are green' (Anne, Rakewell, Trulove)
      04:18
    • Scene 1. 'Anne, my dear' (Trulove, Anne, Rakewell)
      01:00
    • Scene 1. 'Here I stand … Since it is not by merit' (Rakewell)
      02:55
    • Scene 1. 'Tom Rakewell?' (Shadow, Rakewell)
      01:25
    • Scene 1. 'Fair lady, gracious gentlemen' (Shadow)
      02:03
    • Scene 1. 'I wished but once' (Rakewell, Shadow, Anne, Trulove)
      01:40
    • Scene 1. 'My Anne, behold' (Rakewell, Anne, Trulove, Shadow)
      02:08
    • Scene 1. 'Farewell for now' (Anne, Rakewell)
      01:13
    • Scene 1. 'All is ready, sir' (Shadow, Rakewell)
      00:48
    • Scene 1. 'Dear father Trulove' (Rakewell)
      01:18
    • Scene 1. 'Laughter and light' (Rakewell, Anne, Trulove, Shadow)
      01:30
    • Scene 2. 'With air commanding and weapon handy' (Roaring Boys, Whores)
      02:38
    • Scene 2. 'Come, Tom' (Shadow, Rakewell, Mother Goose)
      03:42
    • Scene 2. 'Soon dawn will glitter … Sisters of Venus, Brothers of Mars' (Whores, Roaring Boys, Shadow)
      01:34
    • Scene 2. 'Love, too frequently betrayed' (Rakewell)
      02:56
    • Scene 2. 'How sad a song' (Whores, Mother Goose)
      00:56
    • Scene 2. 'The sun is bright, the grass is green' (Whores, Roaring Boys, Shadow)
      02:29
    • Scene 3. 'No word from Tom … Quietly, night' (Anne)
      04:37
    • Scene 3. 'My father! Can I desert him … I go, I go to him' (Anne)
      03:44

  • Act II

    • Scene 1. 'Vary the song, O London' (Rakewell)
      02:55
    • Scene 1. 'O Nature, green unnatural mother' (Rakewell)
      03:00
    • Scene 1. 'Always the quarry that I stalk' (Rakewell)
      01:49
    • Scene 1. 'Master, are you alone?' (Shadow, Rakewell)
      01:17
    • Scene 1. 'Come, master, observe the host of mankind' (Shadow)
      01:22
    • Scene 1. 'In youth the panting slave pursues' (Shadow)
      02:08
    • Scene 1. 'My tale shall be told' (Rakewell, Shadow)
      02:36
    • Scene 2. Introduction
      01:37
    • Scene 2. 'How strange! … O heart, be stronger' (Anne)
      02:38
    • Scene 2. 'What can this mean?' (Anne, Rakewell)
      03:12
    • Scene 2. 'My love, am I to remain in here for ever?' (Baba, Anne, Rakewell)
      01:01
    • Scene 2. 'Could it then have been known' (Anne, Rakewell, Baba)
      02:52
    • Scene 2. 'I have not run away' (Baba, Rakewell, Voices, Town People)
      02:26
    • Scene 3. 'As I was saying … Come, sweet, come … Scorned! Abused!' (Baba, Rakewell)
      04:23
    • Scene 3. 'Fa la la' (Shadow)
      03:35
    • Scene 3. 'Thanks to this excellent device' (Rakewell, Shadow)
      01:40
    • Scene 3. 'Forgive me, master, for intruding' (Shadow, Rakewell)
      02:17

  • Act III

    • Scene 1. 'Ruin. Disaster. Shame.' (Crowd, Anne, Sellem)
      03:06
    • Scene 1. 'Ladies both fair and gracious' (Sellem)
      01:32
    • Scene 1. 'Who hears me, knows me' (Sellem, Crowd)
      03:44
    • Scene 1. 'Sold! Annoyed!' (Baba, Crowd, Rakewell, Shadow)
      02:23
    • Scene 1. 'You love him, seek to set him right' (Baba, Anne, Crowd, Sellem, Rakewell, Shadow)
      04:20
    • Scene 1. 'I go to him' (Anne, Rakewell, Shadow, Baba, Crowd)
      02:03
    • Scene 2. Prelude
      02:12
    • Scene 2. 'How dark and dreadful is this place' (Rakewell, Shadow)
      04:09
    • Scene 2. 'Very well then, my dear and good Tom' (Shadow, Tom)
      01:19
    • Scene 2. 'Well, then … My heart is wild with fear' (Shadow, Rakewell)
      04:00
    • Scene 2. 'The simpler the trick' (Shadow, Rakewell, Anne)
      02:48
    • Scene 2. 'I burn, I burn! I freeze!' (Shadow)
      02:12
    • Scene 2. 'With roses crowned' (Rakewell)
      01:33
    • Scene 3. 'Prepare yourselves, heroic shades' (Rakewell, Madmen)
      03:36
    • Scene 3. 'There he is. Have no fear' (Keeper, Anne, Rakewell)
      02:03
    • Scene 3. 'I have waited … In a foolish dream' (Rakewell, Anne)
      02:49
    • Scene 3. 'I am exceeding weary' (Rakewell)
      00:57
    • Scene 3. 'Gently, little boat' (Anne, Madmen)
      02:49
    • Scene 3. 'Anne, my dear' (Trulove, Anne)
      00:58
    • Scene 3. 'Every wearied body' (Anne, Trulove)
      01:55
    • Scene 3. 'Where art thou, Venus?' (Rakewell, Madmen)
      03:16
    • Scene 3. 'Mourn for Adonis' (Chorus)
      01:28

  • Epilogue

    • 'Good people, just a moment' (Anne, Baba, Rakewell, Shadow, Trulove)
      02:37

Recording appears on:

All recordings of "The Rake's Progress (1951)"