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Vaughan Williams' "Pilgrim's Progress" premieres in London

The Pilgrim's Progress is an opera by Ralph Vaughan Williams, based on John Bunyan's 1678 allegory The Pilgrim's Progress.

The Pilgrim's Progress is an opera by Ralph Vaughan Williams, based on John Bunyan's 1678 allegory The Pilgrim's Progress. The composer himself described the work as a 'Morality' rather than an opera. Nonetheless, he intended the work to be performed on stage, rather than in a church or cathedral. Vaughan Williams himself prepared the libretto, with interpolations from the Bible and also text from his second wife, Ursula Wood. His changes to the story included altering the name of the central character from 'Christian' to 'Pilgrim', so as to universalise the spiritual message.

The musical gestation of this opera was protracted, and was reflected in a number of musical projects in Vaughan Williams' life.

Historical Significance

The Pilgrim's Progress is an opera by Ralph Vaughan Williams, based on John Bunyan's 1678 allegory The Pilgrim's Progress.

Events Before

  1. Emil Jannings dies

    Emil Jannings, Swiss-born German actor, known for german actor, died on 1950-01-02. Emil Jannings was a Swiss-born German actor who was popular in Hollywood films in the 1920s.

  2. The Dutch government raises all wages by a maximum of 5%

    The Dutch government raises all wages by a maximum of 5%

  3. Israeli Knesset declares Jerusalem the capital of Israel

    The Israeli annexation of East Jerusalem, known to Israelis as the reunification of Jerusalem, refers to the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War, and its…

  4. US President Harry Truman publicly announces support for the development of a hydrogen bomb

    Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953.

  5. British naturalist and future broadcaster David Attenborough (24) weds British classmate and cook Jane Elizabeth Ebswort

    British naturalist and future broadcaster David Attenborough (24) weds British classmate and cook Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel, until her death in 1997

Events After

  1. Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 5th string quartet and premieres it in Leningrad in 1953

    The 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87 by Dmitri Shostakovich are a set of 24 musical pieces for solo piano, one in each of the major and minor keys of the chromatic scale.

  2. "Today Show" premieres with Dave Garroway & Jack Lescoulie on NBC-TV

    Today (also called The Today Show) is an American morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952.

  3. Jawaharlal Nehru's Indian National Congress wins India's first general election

    The Indian National Congress (INC), also known as the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a big tent political party in India.

  4. First TV detector van begins operating in the UK to identify users of unlicensed television sets

    First TV detector van begins operating in the UK to identify users of unlicensed television sets

  5. Queen Elizabeth II succeeds King George VI to the British throne and is proclaimed Queen of the United Kingdom and the o

    Queen Elizabeth II succeeds King George VI to the British throne and is proclaimed Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

More from the 1950s

Sputnik 1 Launch

The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite, igniting the Space Age and the US-Soviet Space Race.

space explorationscience technology

"The Bob Cummings Show" premieres on NBC (later moves to CBS)

"The Bob Cummings Show" premieres on NBC (later moves to CBS)

death

Emil Jannings dies

Emil Jannings, Swiss-born German actor, known for german actor, died on 1950-01-02. Emil Jannings was a Swiss-born German actor who was popular in Hollywood films in the 1920s.

The European Economic Community comes into effect, better known as the European Common Market

The European Economic Community comes into effect, better known as the European Common Market

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on May 26, 1951?
The Pilgrim's Progress is an opera by Ralph Vaughan Williams, based on John Bunyan's 1678 allegory The Pilgrim's Progress. The composer himself described the work as a 'Morality' rather than an opera. Nonetheless, he intended the work to be performed on stage, rather than in a church or cathedral.
Why is Vaughan Williams' "Pilgrim's Progress" premieres in London significant?
The Pilgrim's Progress is an opera by Ralph Vaughan Williams, based on John Bunyan's 1678 allegory The Pilgrim's Progress.

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May 26 in HistoryYear 1951