Alan Bennett – The Confident Reader
A royal incident of a very special kind: When the Queen of England comes across the Westminster District’s mobile library bus while walking her corgis, she borrows a book out of sheer politeness—and is suddenly captivated by world literature. From then on, the monarch neglects her official duties in favor of the pages of a book and deep reflection, much to the horror of her advisors, who sense a threat to the interests of the state in the Queen’s newfound love of reading.
Alan Bennett’s *The Sovereign Reader* is a brilliant, subtle satire and a grand declaration of love for literature and freedom of thought. In this musical reading, the renowned actor and narrator Hans-Werner Meyer lends the story its unmistakable tone—full of elegance, dry wit, and British understatement.
The reading is accompanied by a chamber ensemble featuring an exceptional lineup of musicians. The varied timbres of the harp, piano, woodwinds, and strings enter into a dialogue with the text, capturing its moods and lending musical brilliance to the literary punchlines.
Cast
- Hans-Werner Meyer – Narrator
- Miruna Nagy – harp
- Cristian Niculescu – piano
- Radu Nagy – cello
- Manuel von der Nahmer – cello
- Dorin Gliga – Oboe
- Horia Dumitrache – clarinet
- Pavel Ionescu – bassoon
- Catherine Warner – Violin
- Florin Paul – Viola