Ulysses Awakes


Ulysses Awakes is a musical composition for solo viola and strings by English composer John Woolrich. It is a creative transcription of Ulysses's first aria in act 1, scene 7 of Claudio Monteverdi's opera Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria. Ulysses has been washed up on the coast of Ithaca, his homeland.
'It's a powerfully effective piece, which manages to be utterly faithful to the spirit of Monteverdi and yet entirely part of Woolrich's musical world, too.'
Ulysses Awakes was commissioned by Dartington International Summer School and first performed there by Clare Finnimore and the Guildhall String Ensemble on August 11, 1989.

Instrumentation

The composition consists of a solo viola with 6 violins, 1 viola, 2 cellos, and 1 double bass.

Discography