Has “The Lord of the Rings” at last found a worthy musical champion? Many composers have perished on the slopes of Mount Doom in their quest to bring Tolkien’s magnum opus to the stage, but at last it appears the Tolkien Estate has given its benediction to Paul Corfield Godfrey to write a “Lord of the Rings” opera. Not just any opera, mind you, but, as one would hope, a multi-evening event, in the manner of Wagner’s “Ring Cycle” (which Tolkien disliked, by the way, for what he perceived as Wagner’s cavalier treatment of the legendary and mythological source material). Godfrey’s LOTR will consist of 17 hours of music, to be presented over six nights.
Does he have the chops? He is a lifelong fan, who appears to have been crafting Tolkien settings for decades. He lacks for neither energy nor ambition. Who writes that much music about “The Silmarillion?” At least he seems to be able to do atmosphere and, judging from the samples of his work posted online, it doesn’t sound like the characterless noodling with no big moments that makes so much contemporary opera seem so colorless.
At any rate, with the amount of passion this guy has for the material, it’s got to be more than just a “Rings of Power” cash grab. Right? RIGHT???
Among Godfrey’s teachers were Alan Bush, a reputable English composer, and David Wynne, less well-known, but his Symphony No. 3 was conducted by Bryden Thomson and the audio is posted on YouTube.
I imagine the musical language for a LOTR opera can’t help but be old-fashioned, but if anyone were going to do it, I would hope that would be the case. It needs to be big and tonal, with plenty of heaven-storming and heldentenors.
The recordings will appear – on 15 CDs! – in 2025. The project enlists the talents of Volante Opera Productions, with singers drawn largely from the Welsh National Opera. Godfrey’s LOTR will be followed in 2026 by an opera inspired by “The Hobbit.” Both have been in the making for over 50 years.
From the samples of his work posted online, I think this guy understands “The Lord of the Rings” better than Peter Jackson. Then, the bar has been set very low. May the stars shine upon his face!
Samples from “The Silmarillion”
More about the composer
https://britishmusiccollection.org.uk/node/68299
Volante Opera Productions