Has history been fair to Mary Tudor? Is ‘Bloody Mary’ a fair reflection of this groundbreaking woman? Mary’s Hand asks and answers these questions with strong musical characterisation of an enigmatic figure.
The Independent described the work as ‘outstanding’ at its premiere.
The Stage said: ‘The writing is linear, finely wrought and daringly spare’.
Mary Tudor was the first Queen of England to rule in her own right. Her strong Roman Catholicism, and the persecution of Protestants which marked her reign, have distorted perceptions of a strong-willed woman who also loved dancing, fine clothes and gambling.
Mary’s Hand redresses the balance and takes as its starting point Mary’s love of cards, identifying the principal figures in Mary’s life with the suits of cards: Hearts, Clubs, Spades and Diamonds.
The work is written for a Mezzo-Soprano, who must be a strong singing actress, with three instruments: oboe, trumpet and cello. In the original performances, all the instrumentalists were female, representing Mary’s ‘Ladies’.
Mary’s Hand was a creative collaboration between Martin Bussey, the librettist, Di Sherlock and the singer, Clare McCaldin with much development of the original ideas taking place during rehearsal.
Di Sherlock has given the following introduction:
Mary invites the audience to help her tell her story in a game of cards.
The cards (Court Cards – Royals only!) represent the key players in her life.
For the piece to begin the audience must choose a card.
The choice of that and subsequent cards determines the order in which she will sing her story.
Consequently, the libretto is non-linear and the music is designed to match this.
The spoken ‘segues’ between movements, inviting the audience to choose a card, are given at the back of the score.
Mary’s Hand is designed to be performed without a conductor. Individual instruments ‘lead’, as directed in the score. Overall control of the performance is guided by the singer. Spoken text is notated in boxed text designed to be co-ordinated with the music.
The official premiere of Mary’s Hand was on August 1, 2018, in Holy Cross Church, London as part of Tete-a-Tete Opera. Subsequently it toured to venues including Lancaster Priory, Queen’s Hall, Hexham, Three Choirs Festival and Pinner Festival.
