Vítěslav Novák – Lady Godiva

Lady Godiva is a lengthy, around-15-minute-long concert overture commissioned by the director František Šubert meant to be used as the opening to Jaroslav Vrchlický’s new play of the same name with the Prague Municipal Theatre. Novák was under an extreme deadline for this project and finished the score in less than two days. The story of the English legend is well known, but a quick synopsis is warranted here. Lady Godiva pleads with her husband, Count Leofric of Coventry, to lower the oppressive taxes in his realm. He agrees, but only if she will ride on horseback through the town at noon, completely naked. So convinced is she of her cause that she goes through with the dare, and Leofric relents.