Castle Agrazant (opera)

Castle Agrazant is an opera composed by Ralph Lyford. It premiered on 29 April 1926 with Forrest Lamont performing, in Cincinnati. Castle Agrazant won a Bispham Memorial Medal Award in 1926.

The opera is set in Northern France in the aftermath of the Ninth Crusade - specified as 1290 in the program for the opera. Characters include Richard of Agrazant (Riego of Agrazant), a young crusader and religious zealot; and his wife Isabeau. In the story, the husband and crusader, Richard, returns to avenge his persecuted wife, Isabeau.

In the 1926 premier, Olga Forrai performed as Isabeau, Forrest Lamont performed as Richard, and Howard Preston as Geoffrey. The Opera's performances included a chorus of 65 members and 60 members of the Cincinnati Symphony. The cost to stage the production in 1926 was $15,000 USD (approximately $183,000 in 2010 USD).

The Opera was also broadcast by radio station WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio on May 3, 1926.

Isabeau is mourning the death of her newborn daughter, alone. Count Lisiac, a former suitor of Isabeau, seizes the opportunity of her husband's absence and her grief to approach Isabeau. When his attempts fail he turns to violence, assaulting the Castle Agrazant and kidnapping Isabeau. Isabeau conceals a note giving details of her abduction before she is taken.

Elsewhere, Richard of Agrazant is returning from Jerusalem. He passes Lisiac Hall ignorant that his wife is imprisoned there. He arrives at Castle Agrazant and sees evidence of the assault. He finds his daughter dead in the cradle, and the note from Isabeau. He pledges revenge.

Isabeau is feted at Lisiac Hall, but takes no part in the celebrations. Geoffrey becomes inebriated and is more forward with Isabeau. As events spin out of control, Geoffrey's men debate protecting Isabeau from Geoffrey. A herald then announces the arrival of traveling musicians - a monk, a minstrel, and a boy. Geoffrey commands them to perform but asks Isabeau to select a happy song. She requests a song of Nazareth, and Richard (disguised as the monk) thereby confirms she has no desire to stay with Geoffrey.

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