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Alcestis

Heard
1988
Episodes
1
Language
English

Alcestis

More about it

by Euripides

Translated by William Arrowsmith.

Music by Harvey Brough and Jeremy Taylor.

With Roger Allam and Alison Fiske.

Produced by Penny Gold.

Broadcast on Radio 3, 20 Sep 1988

Repeated 14 May 1989

Contributors

Translated By: William Arrowsmith

Music By: Harvey Brough

Music By: Jeremy Taylor

Directed By: Penny Gold

Admetos: Roger Allam

Alcestis: Alison Fiske

Apollo: Michael Tudor Barnes

Death: Philip Sully

Maid: Caroline Gruber

Herakles: Struan Rodger

Pheres: Peter Howell

Old Servant: Michael Graham-Cox

Chorus: Christopher Scott

Chorus: Maggie McCarthy

Chorus: Jane Clarke

Chorus: Zelah Knowles

Apollo in his anger at Zeus (who killed his son) killed the Cyclopes, and in penance has been serving as the slave of good Admetus. In return for Admetus' kindness, he block death from taking him at his appointed time, and has bargained that Admetus can avoid his fate if someone will agree to die for him. But Admetus' aged parents refused: only his young wife Alcestis would agree.

Death appears to take Alcestis: he is suspicious Apollo's presence. Apollo cannot dissuade Death from his appointed task, and departs. The chorus, citizens of Pherae, come to see if Alcestis lives. A maid announces that she is dying now. The maid tells of Alcestis' last acts: she prayed that her children marry well, she lamented her marriage bed. What a wife Admetus loses!

Admetus and Alcestis come outside with their children. Death is taking her away. She begs…

Episodes, in broadcast order

  1. (BBC R3 1988)

    No date given · 1 h 35 min

Where it comes from 1

The archive items its episodes are played from, best first, with each one’s rights as its archive states them. An episode two sets both hold is played from the first.

  1. Alcestis (BBC R3 1988)

    Listeners' uploads · Euripides · 1 episode here · archive.org

    the Internet Archive states no licence or rights for it.

Uploaded to the Internet Archive by the person named, outside its radio collections.

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