David Matthews: The Composers’ Fund
David Matthews has written an opera to a libretto by Roger Scruton, who has been a friend to David for 35 years.
It is set in a central European country shortly after the 1989 revolutions, and deals with the seismic fall of communism, with its unforeseen and disturbing consequences. David imagines the country as Czechoslovakia, which both he and Roger knew well in the communist period, and also afterwards.
Against this background there is played out a tragic love story involving a brother and sister whose dissident father died in prison, and a young compatriot who had escaped to America as a reward for unthinkingly betraying him, and has now returned.David Mathews said:
The PRS Foundation Composers’ Fund plays an invaluable role in helping composers to undertake major products. I am extremely grateful to the Fund for allowing me to continue my opera, which I have started but which so far is uncommissioned. I had reached a point where I might not otherwise have been able to carry on with it without any financial support. Writing an opera is something I have always wanted to do, but have never found the right subject, librettist, or opportunity, and I am delighted to have at last found all three.