Maudlin of Paplewick by Ina Boyle

Intrigued by Ina Boyle’s unperformed final major work, Maudlin of Paplewick, Darren Hargan explored the 622-page manuscript at Trinity College Dublin. The opera, based on Ben Jonson’s The Sad Shepherd, tells of Maudlin, a witch from Paplewick, using sorcery to disguise herself. Boyle’s score, written for chamber orchestra, shows her skill in sustaining drama and evokes Vaughan Williams and Britten in its magical woodland setting.

However, the manuscript showed some anomalies and discrepancies, and no orchestral parts exist. To stage it, Hargan prepared a critical performing edition, mindful of Boyle’s own struggles with orchestration in later years.

Now, with support from the Ina Boyle Estate, Maudlin of Paplewick -the only surviving stage opera by an Irish woman composer - will finally receive its world première with Le Foyer des Artistes in 2027 - Ina Boyle’s anniversary year!

Ina Boyle (1872-1958), a pupil of Ralph Vaughan Williams, lived quietly in Co. Wicklow, caring for her family while composing daily, inspired by the surrounding countryside. Though Vaughan Williams valued her talent (she would travel regularly to London for lessons), and despite his encouragement, Boyle never moved to London, and her early promise went largely unrecognised. Her extensive output—including symphonies, choral, vocal, chamber works, an opera, and stage pieces—remains mostly unperformed, preserved in manuscript at Trinity College Dublin. Today, modern audiences have the chance to hear her music brought to life for the first time.