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23 October 2005Sunday 23 October 2005 17:45-18:30 (Radio 3) As English National Opera opens a new production of Madam Butterfly, Anthony Minghella makes his operatic directorial debut. And Tom Service talks to Elgar Howarth about his multifaceted career as a composer, performer and conductor in his 70 th Year. Duration:45 minutes In this programmeMadam Butterfly
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The Oscar-winning film director, Anthony Minghella, makes his opera directing debut with a new production of Puccini's Madam Butterfly at the Coliseum in London next month. Set in Japan , the story tells of Madam Butterfly's abandonment by a dashing American soldier, Pinkerton, and her suicide when he returns with his American wife to claim his child back from her. Minghella shares his vision for the opera with his associate director and wife, Carolyn Choa. They have taken their inspiration from Japanese art and the idea of the Orient as an exotic place. Minghella admits that directing opera presents an unfamiliar challenge for him relinquishing some of the control he has over the film-making process. Tom talks with Minghella and Choa about their take on the opera. 
The 1912 premiere of Arnold Schoenberg's supernatural song-cycle, Pierrot Lunaire, opened up a whole new form of musical expression. Based on Albert Giraud's poems about the moon-mad visions of Pierrot, the piece was adapted for dance 50 years later by the Canadian choreographer, Glen Tetley. As Tetley celebrates his 80 th Birthday next year, The Royal Ballet are performing the workfor the first time. Tom went to Covent Garden to ask Glen Tetley and the singer Linda Hirst what drew them to Pierrot. 
In his 70 th birthday year, Elgar Howarth has decided to put down his baton and concentrate on composing. Howarth studied as a composer and trumpeter in Manchester playing in the Royal Opera House Orchestra and the London Sinfonietta. His conducting break came when he took on the world premiere of Ligeti's opera Le Grande Macabre in 1972. He has since become known for conducting contemporary repertoire. However, his passion has remained with brass music: his championing of new commissions for brass players and his work with the Grimethorpe Colliery Band and the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. Tom visits the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to hear first year brass students rehearsing and asks Elgar Howarth about his diverse career. 
Raymond Holden's new book, The Virtuoso Conductor, charts the story from Wagner to Karajan in what he calls a central european tradition. But, what is it that connects the music-making of Wilhelm Furtwangler, Otto Klemperer and Bruno Walter? In his book, Holden looks at nine conductors, including Mahler, Hans von Bulow and Felix Weingartner. Christoph von Dohnanyi explains his views on the notion of a conducting tradition, alongside archive recordings of Otto Klemperer and Wilhelm Furtwangler. Tom asks Holden about the impact of this tradition today and the author finds some striking similarities between performances 70 years ago and those of modern conductors. 