An Aria A Day #42
BRYAN PROBETS
‘Nightmare Song’
from Iolanthe
by Gilbert & Sullivan
Piano Narelle French
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Written at the peak of Gilbert and Sullivan’s creative years and their seventh work together, ‘Iolanthe’ tells the story of a fairy who has been banished from fairyland due to her outlawed marriage to a mortal. British actor and singer Bryan Probets performs the Lord Chancellor’s ‘Nightmare Song’ in which he describes a nightmare caused by his unrequited love for Phyllis, an Arcadian shepherdess and Ward in Chancery. Interestingly, Sullivan’s music for the fairies reflects Richard Wagner’s style, including a distinctive four-note theme associated with the character of Iolanthe.