Dame Ethel Smyth The Wrecker with Laufey

Available for over a year

The trailblazing composer Dame Ethel Smyth lived a scandalous life filled with polyamorous affairs and groundbreaking musical successes. She became the first female composer to have her work performed at both the Royal Opera House in London and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. And she scandalised high society by having an affair with both the wife and daughter of The Archbishop of Canterbury. Ethel lived an unapologetic and fascinating life. In this episode, the musician Laufey, Tom Allen and Ben Gernon hear tales of how Smyth threw bricks through a politician’s windows, conducted choirs of imprisoned activists and wrote suffragette anthems to find out whether Ethel was a musical monster or angelic activist. Listen only on BBC Sounds. Produced by Audio Always Producer: Rufaro Faith Mazarura Exec Producer: Jo Meek Sound Design: Craig Edmondson