Letter from Ralph Vaughan Williams to Ursula Wood
Royal Opera House
Covent Garden London WC2
Edinbro!!!
My Dear
How dear of you to write me 2 letters. All goes well here - a rehearsal this mrning - I think L H1 will be all right - he knows his score well (much better than I do!!) & is able to listen & evidently the orchestra likes playing under him. Not much pep yet - but that is not what the rehearsal was for.
We did Act III & then just ran through Act I - I am pleased with Act III. Act I was harder to hear - my deafness seemed to get in the way - Steuart2 is doing me like a prince - he gave a lunch today to L. Hancock & his pretty little wife - (Iris Kells) who is to be the woodcutters boy - I’ve laid the foundations but not more yet!!
To night is Carmen.
Take care of yourself my dear - we meet on Sat!
I will look out for E. Rock3 - but I spend all the time I am not in the hotel in taxis.
All love
Yrs
RVW
1. Leonard Hancock, who was to conduct the opera.
2. Steuart Wilson
3. i.e. Edinburgh Rock.
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The Covent Garden company was on tour in Edinburgh so VW followed them there to continue rehearsals for Pilgrims Progress. See R.V.W.: a biography, p.306-7 where much of this letter is printed.
Date from postmark.