Sir William Walton was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England in 1902. The Bear is an opera in one act based on a comic vaudeville by Anton Chekhov, and premiered at Jubilee Hall at the Aldeburgh Festival in 1967. Both Chekhov’s play and Walton’s opera surprised their creators due to their warm critical reception.“I’ve managed to write a stupid vaudeville which, owing to the fact that it is stupid, is enjoying surprising success,” said Chekhov.