Noye's Fludde

The Cheltenham Music Festival has come round once again. We took Mini and Leo to Tewkesbury this evening to see Britten's Noye's Fludde performed in a thronged Abbey. I haven't heard it before (and am not sure I shall rush to hear it again). 200 local children were involved: I hope they enjoyed it more than we did, standing against the wall of the North nave aisle. You couldn't see the action much - it took place mostly either behind a pillar or on the top deck of "the Ark" - built with high sides, for safety reasons obviously. The orchestra, together with the Carducci Quartet, were penned in behind a mesh curtain underneath.

But a lot of thought and work had clearly gone in to it: the result was all very colourful, the lighting changes were well managed, and it wasn't too long an evening - or wouldn't have been, but for the insertion at the beginning of five unexpected (by me) songs by contemporary Gloucestershire composers: unnecessary - and you couldn't hear the words.