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Autobiography is writ large in Leonard Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti and and A Quiet Place. Three decades separate both their composition and scenarios, drawing on Bernstein's life experience.

In Trouble in Tahiti, written during Bernstein's honeymoon and premiered in 1952, Sam and Dinah (read: Mr and Mrs Bernstein Snr) have all the trappings of perfect suburban lives. But they despise each other and neglect their young son. A chorus comments ironically on their American Dream as Young Junior looks on silently and hopelessly at his parents' rows. Musically, we're well on the way to Candide and West Side Story.

30 years later later Bernstein's eclectic late style is in full swing, even including a quote from Mendelssohn's violin concerto. He likened the structure of A Quiet Place to symphonic Mahler, complete with a scherzo and an adagio finale 脿 la third and ninth symphonies.

After Dinah's death in a car crash, the family gathers at her funeral and the legacy of poor parenting combusts as draft-dodging Junior and his sister Dede collide with with their father Sam. Dede's husband Fran莽ois, who is also Junior's lover, gets sucked into the family turmoil and eventually an uneasy gaiety ensues, followed by an apparently sincere reconciliation.

Nicholas Chalmers conducts this new production, recorded at the Royal Opera's Linbury Theatre last month and introduced by Andrew McGregor in conversation with Emily MacGregor.

A Quiet Place contains some strong language, adult themes and upsetting scenes.

Trouble in Tahiti
Sam ..... Henry Neill (baritone)
Dinah ..... Wallis Giunta (mezzo-soprano)
Trio ..... Kirsty Mclean (soprano), Guy Elliott (tenor), Peter Edge (baritone)
Young Junior ..... Jonah McGovern

6.50 pm
Interval
In conversation with Emily MacGregor, and including comments from cast and conductor, Andrew McGregor finds out how the two operas mirror both Bernstein's biography and changes in American society between the 50s and 80s.

7.10 pm
A Quiet Place
Sam ..... Grant Doyle (baritone)
Dede ..... Rowan Pierce (soprano)
Junior ..... Henry Neill (baritone)
Fran莽ois ..... Elgan Ll欧r Thomas (tenor)
Funeral Director ..... Michael Gibson (tenor)
Mrs Doc ..... Sarah Pring (mezzo-soprano)
Doc ..... Freddie Tong (bass-baritone)
Bill ..... Eddie Wade (baritone)
Susie ..... Rebecca Afonwy-Jones (mezzo-soprano)
Analyst ..... Robin Bailey (tenor)
Quartet ..... Kirsty Mclean (soprano), Heather Lowe (mezzo-soprano) Guy Elliott (tenor), Peter Edge (baritone)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Nicholas Chalmers (conductor)