Elain Rhys Jones (Bangor University)
Grace Williams (1906–1977) is known as one of the most prominent and influential figures in the history of Welsh music during the twentieth century. Despite this, some believe that many of her compositions did not receive the attention they deserved during her lifetime. She is mainly remembered for her orchestral works, such as the Fantasia on Welsh Nursery Tunes (1940), Sea Sketches (1944) and Penillion (1955). As well as being the first British composer to compose a score for a feature film, Blue Scar (1949), it is also crucial to note that Grace Williams was the first Welsh composer to compose an opera. She turned to the work of the French author Guy de Maupassant (1850–1893) for the text of 'The Parlour' (1966), using his short story 'En Famille' as a base for her own libretto. The aim of my research is to offer a full evaluation of ‘The Parlour’ to fill some of the gap in our understanding of the composer's life and work. This paper will consider some of the reasons as to why 'The Parlour' is not staged today.