Douglas Moore Opera The Wings of the Dove
Plot Synopsis and Character Description of English Drama
Nov 8, 2009
Douglas Moore (August 10, 1893 – July 25, 1969) composed The Wings of the Dove, a one-act English drama based on the novel by classic author Henry James. Libretto was written by Ethan Ayer. It was premiered at New York City Opera, October 12, 1961. The setting is in London and Venice in 1900.
The composer, Douglas Moore, was also an educator and writer who wrote for the theater, film and ballet. His fame rests on his two operas The Devil and Daniel Webster (1938) and the Ballad of Baby Doe (1956.) He also composed Carry Nation.
Character Roles of The Wings of the Dove
- Kate Croy, Aunt Maud’s niece (Mezzo soprano)
- Miles Dunster, Kate Croy’s boyfriend (Baritone)
- Aunt Maud Lowder, Wealthy aunt of Kate (Contralto)
- Milly Theale, a rich American socialite (Soprano)
- Homer Croy, Kate’s father (Baritone)
- Lord Mark, Suitor of Kate, and later, Milly (Tenor)
The chorus roles include party guests, and madrigal chorus. A Venetian ballet “The Masque of Janus” is performed. There are polka and waltz dances at Aunt Maud’s party.
Plot Synopsis / Summary of The Wings of the Dove
Act I
Scene 1. The Parlor of Mrs Lowder at Lancaster Gate.
Homer Croy visits his daughter, Kate, who is living with her aunt Maude. He has gambled away the money Kate gave him. He has come to ask Kate for more money but she refuses. Kate and a journalist, Miles Dunster, are in love, but Kate insists Miles win over her rich aunt first to ensure they have money. Lord Mark has proposed to Kate but she has rejected him. Maud is hrewd for Miles, and prefers to appeal to his better nature.
Scene 2. The Parlor of Mrs Lowder at Lancaster Gate (same place as Scene One)
Aunt Maud throws a party for the rich young American Milly Theale. Everyone is impressed by Milly’s resemblance to a portrait of Constanza Leporelli, the daughter of a Venetian doge, who died young. Lord Mark courts her. Kate realizes that it’s Miles who Milly loves.
Scene 3. A Room in the National Gallery
In the National Gallery, Milly and Kate run into each other. Milly thanks Kate for her kindness when she was ill. She then invites Kate and Miles to come to Venice with her. Believing that Milly will die within a year, Kate wants Miles to Marry Milly.
Scene 4. A Courtyard and Balcony of the Palazzo Leporelli in Venice
Kate leaves Miles with Milly in Venice. They watch a masque, a Venetian ballet. Meantime, Lord Mark is able to reveal to Milly that Kate and Miles are actually lovers.
Scene 5. Milly’s Apartment in the Palazzo Leporelli
Maud goes to Venice and apologizes to Miles for coming between him and Kate. Eventually, Milly dies.
Scene 6. Mrs. Lowder’s Parlor
Back in London, Kate learns of Milly’s death. Milly has left half her fortune to Miles. He returns to England with the money, which he gives to Kate. Kate prods him into admitting he no longer loves her, and in no time, she tears up the money. The melodrama ends here.
An insight to the opera. When The Wings of the Dove was first performed, it received generally excellent reviews, however, it hasn’t received subsequent performances. Despite some variations to the The Wings of the Dove novel by Henry James, Moore's opera is seen as a continuing long tradition of the Romantic opera, the story of a weaker man in between two strong-willed women, with its theme, that of love and death.
Sources:
Martin, Nicholas Ivor. The Da Capo Opera Manual. New York: Da Capo Press, 1997
Sadie, Stanley, Ed. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd Edition. London: Macmillan, 2000
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