Andre Previn: Brief Encounter

Elizabeth Futral; Nathan Gunn; Kim Josephson; Rebekah Camm; Meredith Arwady; Robert Orth; James J. Kee; Jamie Barton; Faith Sherman; Adam Cioffari; Alicia Gianni; Houston Grand Opera Orchestra; Patrick Summers

CD 1: André Previn (1929 - ) Brief Encounter Act 1 Prolog 1. Andantino amabile 2:11 Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 1: The station refreshment room 2. "Hullo - Hullo - Hullo!" ... "Quite the stranger" 8:50 Robert Orth, Meredith Arwady, Alicia Gianni, Rebekah Camm, Elizabeth Futral, Nathan Gunn, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 2: A train compartment 3. "He was very nice-looking" ... "This pain can't last" 5:06 Rebekah Camm, Elizabeth Futral, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 3: The Jessons' sitting room 4. "Seven across" 4:08 Kim Josephson, Elizabeth Futral, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 3: The Jessons' sitting room 5. "Fred, Fred - dear Fred" ... "Never forget" 3:45 Elizabeth Futral, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Interlude & Scene 4: The station refreshment room 6. Interlude ... "Please a glass of water" ..."Little bit of coal dust" 3:14 Elizabeth Futral, Meredith Arwady, Robert Orth, Nathan Gunn, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 5: A Milford street and Eden Lock 7. "It was a Thursday" ... "All my Thursdays were the same" 3:51 Brief Encounter Scene 6: The Kardomah Café 8. "Good Morning" ... "Are you alone?" 5:18 Brief Encounter Interlude & Scene 7: Eden Lock 9. Interlude ... "We walked together up the river" 2:27 Elizabeth Futral, Nathan Gunn, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 8: The station refreshment room and platform 10. "We walked back to the station" ... "This marriage lark" 3:44 Elizabeth Futral, Adam Cioffari, Meredith Arwady, Alicia Gianni, Nathan Gunn, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 8: The station refreshment room and platform 11. "Doctors have dreams" 4:07 Nathan Gunn, Elizabeth Futral, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 8: The station refreshment room and platform 12. "I watched his train" ... "Imagine" 3:05 Elizabeth Futral, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 9: The Jessons' sitting-room 13. "Is that you Laura?" ... "A warning" 8:41 Kim Josephson, Elizabeth Futral, James J. Kee, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 10: The station refreshment room and platform 14. "Albert Godby, how dare you?" ... "The liberty" 1:23 Meredith Arwady, Robert Orth, Adam Cioffari, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 10: The station refreshment room and platform 15. "I sat in the café, waiting" 1:11 Elizabeth Futral, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 10: The station refreshment room and platform 16. "My dear, my dear, I'm sorry" ... "Next Thursday?" 2:21 Nathan Gunn, Elizabeth Futral, Meredith Arwady, Robert Orth, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 11: An old boathouse by the river 17. "The British have always been nice to mad people" 1:35 Brief Encounter Scene 11: An old boathouse by the river 18. "When I was a child" 7:38 Elizabeth Futral, Nathan Gunn, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 12: The Jessons' bedroom 19. "Good evening, Mrs Jesson" 2:17 Kim Josephson, Elizabeth Futral, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 12: The Jessons' bedroom 20. "This is the face of a woman who lies" 4:04 Elizabeth Futral, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Total Playing Time 1:18:56 CD 2: Act 2 Entr'acte & Scene 1: Outside the hospital 1. Entr'acte ... "Five minutes" 3:32 Nathan Gunn, Elizabeth Futral, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 2: The dining room of the Royal Hotel 2. "He took me to lunch" 4:43 Elizabeth Futral, Nathan Gunn, Jamie Barton, Faith Sherman, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 3: Eden Lock 3. "We stood on the bridge at Eden Lock" 1:36 Brief Encounter Scene 4: The station platform 4. "That's your train" ... "Come with me" 3:01 Elizabeth Futral, Nathan Gunn, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 5: The Jessons' sittting-room 5. "14 down, 6 letters" ... "Without you there's nothing" 3:02 Kim Josephson, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Scene 6: The station refreshment room 6. "Hallo!" "This is the face of the woman I love" 7:10 Adam Cioffari, Alicia Gianni, Elizabeth Futral, Nathan Gunn, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 6: The station refreshment room 7. "Promise me, however unhappy your are" 5:17 Nathan Gunn, Elizabeth Futral, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 7: The Jessons' sitting-room 8. "A woman is sitting in a quiet room" 3:46 Elizabeth Futral, Nathan Gunn, Kim Josephson, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 8: The station refreshment room 9. "Aren't you going to offer me another cup of tea?" ... "Time and tide" 6:18 Robert Orth, Meredith Arwady, Rebekah Camm, Elizabeth Futral, Nathan Gunn, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers Brief Encounter Scene 9: The Jessons' sitting-room 10. "Fred, Fred, oh, Fred" ... "To the end of my days" 5:41 Elizabeth Futral, Kim Josephson, Nathan Gunn, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Patrick Summers

The lengthy list of André Previn’s talents includes composition. Brief Encounter, his second opera, is a compassionate, exquisitely touching study of emotional infidelity. This release was recorded live at the opera’s world premiere in 2009. Based on the screenplay by Noël Coward (that became a memorable film directed by David Lean and starring Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson), Brief Encounter stars Elizabeth Futral and Nathan Gunn as lovers whose innate morality makes their rapturous gratitude for one another excruciating, since they are already wed to others. Kim Josephson is moving as Laura’s bewildered husband; Patrick Summers conducts with his customary intelligence. The Wall Street Journal wrote: “Mr. Previn’s lush, tonal score supplies a new dimension to this tale, giving a voice to the yearnings of Laura, the ordinary woman who is suddenly catapulted into extraordinary feelings”. Previn turns 82 on April 6, 2011. Brief Encounter’s release on Deutsche Grammophon’s iconic 20/21 series is the label’s birthday salute to this uncommon musician.

Price: $39.98