A chronology of the Savoy operas

Speranza

In "Savoy tenor", we were mentioning the "Savoy tenor" -- with the first "Nanki Poo" and Courtice Pounds as firm favourites, for which interesting links were provided.

 

I have been interested in getting more familiar with plots of operas "other than by either Gilbert or Sullivan" *which we may still dub "Savoy opera* -- as per list below.

 

I don't think the phenomenon, "Savoy opera", compares. What other opera house (as we may call the Savoy, since it was created for "Patience") is so identified with a particular type of offering? I guess in the old days we could speak of an ""Italian theatre" opera" -- as per the famous Italian theatre in Paris, or perhaps in Rome of a "Valle opera" with the same connotation. In more recent days, in Manhattan, we can think of the so-called Rivals that were built around the old Met, but I think it was a NY historian who said that "no city can do with TWO opera houses" (he was wrong). So, it may do to see if we can come up with phrases like "Savoy theatres" for OTHER theatres (Sadlers' Wells opera?).

 

Back in the days pre-Covent Garden opera (or "Royal Opera House" opera, strictly), there was the fare of the "Haymarket" (or His/Her Majesty's opera) and perhaps this was the first opposition of this type (cfr. "Drury Lane opera"). So, I am interested in how a VENUE can predict the type of fare it will provide.

 

While I claim, forcefully, that nothing can BEAT the Savoy (cfr. beautiful film on the Savoy, "Topsy Turvy").

* "THESPIS" -- Sullivan. Libretto: Gilbert. Score lost, but recreated. Not strictly a "Savoy opera" in that it was staged BEFORE the Savoy was built, but (a) since it was revived in that theatre, and (b) its libretto published by Oxford University as "The Savoy Operas" of Gilbert, it does count. Score lost, alas. Speranza thinks it is Sullivan's answer to Wagner: The Gods Grown Old is the Greco-Roman (or classical) variant to the theme used by Wagner in his long tetralogy (or trilogy with a preface).

* "TRIAL BY JURY" -- Sullivan. Libretto: Gilbert. Tenor aria: very nice. Same point applies as in "Thespis". Originally staged BEFORE the Savoy theatre was constructed. There are NOT that many operas with a legalistic subject-matter, but then there are not that many librettists who like our genial W. Schenck Gilbert, were LAWYERS.

1877 * "SORCERER". Sullivan. Libretto: Gilbert. Tenor aria: Love feeds on
many kinds love. Gilbert's and Sullivan's parody on what was perhaps originally a parody itself: Donizetti's Elisir

* "Dora's Dream". Alfred CELLIER. Libretto: Arthur Cecil. The first COMPANION PIECE (or "Savoy companion piece"). The Savoy, unlike perhaps La Scala of Milan, thought that it's not worth going to the opera FOR JUST ONE PIECE, so it provided THREE in stead. The first companion piece was literally called a "curtain raiser", since this is what it did. The last one was NOT called a "curtain lower", but an "afterpiece". The forepiece and the afterpiece can be collectivelly referred to as "companion pieces". Not that in the theatrical bills that were printed, companion pieces were (I think) ALWAYS printed AFTER information of the main piece was provided. "Dora's Dream" has music by that excellent composer, CELLIER. The setting is a drawing room in a villa in Putney. Fred Fancourt, a stockbroker, courts his cousin, Dora. He seeks a comfy, capable, dumpy little wife. Dora, on the other hand, has begun reading great literature and declares that she will only marry a poet. They play charades, and Fred takes the opportunity to show that poets are impossible to live with, while Dora shows how insufferable stockbrokers can be to their wives. Both dreams shattered, and the couple agrees to part. Eventually, however, they make up and (presumably) get married and live happily ever after. Roles and cast included: Fred Fancourt, of the Stock Exchange, played by librettistArthur Cecil and later by Richard Temple -- and a voice outside, supposed to be Dora's father, a servant's voice outside (identified as that of Jennie Sullivan in a programme reproduced in Leslie Baily.

* "HMS PINAFORE, or the lass that loved a sailor: a nautical opera". SULLIVAN. Libretto: Gilbert. Their first big success, and an immortal opera, as we may call it. It was staged the world over, both on land and sea (as in a recent production in Mystic, Connecticut).

* "Spectre Knight, The". ALFRED CELLIER. Libretto: James Albery. Another gem by Cellier. Like G's and S's Ruddygore, we may call this a 'supernatural' opera. This is possibly a "Germanic" or Northern element, since, while there are a few English or German operas with ghosts on scenes, they seem to be absent from more "Southern" operas such as Italian operas (incl. Neapolitan school). Synopsis. Scene - A Haunted Glen. "Time: The educated will perceive; the uneducated will not require to know." The eccentric Grand Duke, with his daughter Viola and the remains of his court, has been banished and live in a lonely glen where they try to keep up the semblance of their former grandeur. Viola has known no other life and never seen another human being except those of their party. She is thus greatly delighted when the Duke's nephew Otho arrives in the glen disguised as a friar. Otho falls in love with his cousin at first sight, and having learned from her of the legend of the spectre knight who is supposed to haunt the glen, he appears in the disguise of the ghost. He wins Viola's heart and finally introduces himself to her as Otho who has just overthrown the usurper of her father's throne. He promises that they can all go home again. The Duke consents to Otho's union with Viola, and all ends happily. Musical numbers include: "Potatoes a pound and onions a rope..." "What letters have you brought from the Palace?", "Your Grace, I am an eligible Count...", "You may talk, you may talk, you may scold..." "Said Cupid to me, come hither to see..." "Pardon me, madam, I've a word to say to this young lady..." "The little goldfinch in her nest is but a homely bird at best...""You should not be long alone..." "Fill up, and let us drink to one another..." "Too-whit, too-whoo, too-whoo, too-whit..." "I only mix with ghosts well known..." "I am here... close at hand... at your will..." "He has come to our undoing...".

* "Beauties on the Beach" -- George Grossmith. This "Savoy companion piece" by the inimitable genial Grossmith (author of "A disappointed man" -- Sr/Jr) is listed in the Wiki entry for "Savoy opera" WITHOUT a SYNOPSIS. We can only hypothesise that the setting was the beach -- (I vote The English Riviera) and that the soprano was ONE of the beauties of the title. The opera possibly involved some sort of 'dramatic conflict'. Not many operas ARE set on the beach (or beaches) so, this must be a first.

* 'Silver Wedding, A" -- George Grossmith. Again, no synopsis provided by the wiki entry. We assume it had a happy ending.

* 'Five Hamlets" -- George Grossmith. No synopsis provided by the wiki entry. Either it referred to five towns, or to five princes of Denmarks (less likely). It could be a translation of an area in the Liguria, Italy, called 'the five hamlets', or a variant of the 'five ports' -- or neither.

* "CUPS AND SAUCERS" -- George Grossmith. This is the first companion piece by Grossmith, whose synopsis is provided by the wiki entry, and a convoluted synopsis it is, too. Like "Turandot", and indeed, "Mikado", it has associations with BOTH China and Japan. The recently widowed Emily Worcester and General Deelah intend to marry, feigning love, but each is secretly interested in the other's purportedly valuable collection of rare china, which they plan to sell upon marriage. Mrs. Worcester is in her morning room anticipating a visit from Deelah. She recounts how she came to own the single but highly valuable item in her china collection ("A Friend Most Dear"), the sole remaining saucer from Julius Caesar's favorite tea service, appraised at ten thousand pounds. Deelah arrives, and, after some shy conversation and gentle flirting, the conversation turns to their china collections. Mrs. Worcester notes that she has but one small saucer and inquires of the General's china collection. Deelah boasts that he has a very large collection of china, but states in an aside, "--in China." He quickly changes the subject by asking, "Would it surprise you to learn that I am related to the Chinese?" He then sings of a Chinese merchant named Foo Choo Chan who wished nothing more than to be English ("Foo Choo Chan Was a Merchant of Japan"). The relationship turned out to be Foo Choo Chan's marriage to the "sister of Deelah's brother's second aunt, by an uncle on Deelah's grandmother's side." Deelah professes his love for Mrs. Worcester, whereupon she pretends to have fainted until she spots him snooping around for her famed Julius Caesar saucer. She then recovers and announces that since she is Deelah's true love, she can now reveal her most prized possession to him. To Deelah's horror, he finds that it is a counterfeit—of his own make, which he admits to Mrs. Worcester. To her horror, he also admits that his own collection of china is his own make as well. She orders Deelah to leave, and Deelah sings farewell, attempting to make her regret her decision ("The Farewell Song"). Deelah then admits that he never had any real interest in china, but that society had forced him "with the alternative of being thought vulgar, to pretend an affection for its inartistic, ugly beauties at which his true soul actually revolts!" Deelah further explains, A set of vagabonds who infest England have bought up every bit of Oriental ware, are doctoring it up, making it look dirty, cracking it, and then palming it off on would be fashionable folks as real oriental ware. One little town in Japan had been completely cleaned out of every cup and saucer, and the poor Japanese were compelled to drink their tea out of ink bottles and blacking pots. I could not bear to see this. So I started a firm for the manufacture of English china to supply to wants of the natives, and I flatter myself I am doing very well. General Deelah once again proposes to Mrs. Worcester, who agrees, and they decide t"give up old china and live in Japan, and make cups and saucers as fast as we can" ("We'll Give Up Old China and Live in Japan").

* "After All!". ALFRED CELLIER. Libretto: Frank Desprez. SYNOPSS: Selworthy
returns from many years in the Americas to seek his youthful sweetheart
Perdita, and calls upon his old pal Pennyfather only to discover that Perdita
is now Mrs. Pennyfather. He is heartbroken, but on learning from his
friend what a henpecking, overbearing and overweight woman his sweetheart has
now become, realises that he has had a lucky escape and that he really can
forgive Pennyfather After All! Song list: True, True Love! – Selworthy, The
Solicitor's Song: Up A Little Early – Pennyfather, It's Missus – Maria,
Strictly Proper – Pennyfather and Selworthy. Roles and original cast included:
Selworthy, created by Richard Temple. Offstage voice – J. Hervey. The
offstage voice was originally played by Jennie Sullivan, Arthur Sullivan's
cousin under the name J. Hervey. The role is not mentioned after the first few
weeks or months of the run. Jessie Bond in her autobiography mentions her
spoonerism "The missus is having such a cow with the rabman", which comes
from this piece. Jones Hewson played Selworthy in revivals.

* "PIRATES OF PENZANCE, or the slave of duty. SULLIVAN. Libretto: Gilbert.

* "In the Sulks". Alfred CELLIER. Libretto: Frank Desprez. SYNOPSIS: After
an argument, Mr. Liverby is sulking and refusing to speak to his wife.
Mrs. Liverby decides to make him jealous and writes a love letter to herself,
allegedly from a young man. Mr. Liverby finds a love letter, but when he
learns it was a joke he forgives her. However, the letter turns out not to be
the one Mrs. Liverby had written, but another one written by a young man
who has been hanging around the house for days trying to get an opportunity
to speak to her. She is terrified, but her husband refuses to listen,
thinking that this is another joke to try to make him lose his temper again, and
he is determined to stay in a good humour. The young man eventually turns
out to be Mr. Liverby's nephew who had been let go by Liverby's firm, and
who has merely been trying to persuade Mrs. Liverby to put in a good word for
him. Mr. Liverby agrees to reinstate his nephew, and all ends
happily.Musical numbers. When George Temple left at the end of the run of Pirates, W.
H. Seymour took over the role of Mr. Liverby.

* "Uncle Samuel". George Grossmith. Libretto: Arthur Law. SYNOPSIS: Jack is
Samuel Crow's nephew, whom he threw out of his house many years ago, and
who (unbeknown to his uncle) has been brought up by the latter's friend Mr.
Daw. Daw has just died, and has asked Crow to look after his frumpish
daughter Marjorie. Crow lives with his niece Jenny, Jack's cousin with whom he
is in love, but from whom he has concealed his true identity. Jack turns up
incognito at his uncle's house on the Thames to hatch a plot to gain Crow's
consent to the marriage. When Marjorie arrives, Jenny mistakes her for a
flame of Jack's. Eventually Crow in a rage at Jenny's determination to marry
this unknown man, decides to leave all his money, not to her but to his
nephew Jack whom he thinks he has not seen for many years. He is mortified on
learning who this young man really is. Musical numbers: Crow -- "What is
the good of a name.", Duet - Jack and Crow -- "Is she dark or fair?" Jenny,
Margery, and Jack -- "I'm caught, I'm caught, what an awkward
situation..." Finale - "At last we've arrived at a happy conclusion..."The original
cast included Mr. Samuel Crow, an old bachelor. Frank Thornton, John Bird
(alias Jack Sparrow), role created by librettist, Arthur Law.
-- The Savoy Years. 1881 --

* 1881. * "PATIENCE, or Bunthorne's Bride" -- SULLIVAN. Libretto: GILBERT.
Strictly, the first Savoy opera. The opera with which the Savoy Theatre
opened.
* "Mock Turtles". Eaton Faning. Libretto: Frank Desprez. SYNOPSIS: Mr. and
Mrs. Wranglebury quarrel like two tigers whenever they are together. Things
come to a head when Mrs. Wranglebury's mother comes unexpectedly to stay
with them. Mr. Wranglebury borrowed money from his mother-in-law many years
ago to start his business, and he is fearful that she may ask for it back.
They pretend to be very amiable and discover that they really prefer being
amiable to each other and want to live happily together. When the servant
Jane nearly spoils everything by telling the mother-in-law of the quarrels,
she is branded a liar and sacked on the spot. Musical numbers: "Oh! I hate
you, I despise you...", "I mean to go about, my dears...", "I love you
so...", "We mean to see the Abbey..."The original cast included Mr.
Wranglebury (tenor), created by Courtice Pounds -- his first principal role with the
company -- (cfr. link to him in S. M's post -- this thread). Arthur Law and
Eric Lewis each replaced Pounds for part of the run.
* "IOLANTHE, or the peer and the peri: a faery opera." SULLIVAN. Libretto:
Gilbert.
* 1883. * "Private Wire, A". PERCY REEVE. Libretto: Frank Desprez.
SYNOPSIS: Philip FitzStubbs loves Rose Frumpington who lives in the house on the
opposite side of the street. Philip's father has forbidden the match and made
his son promise not to see or write to Rose, but Philip has had a
telephone installed so that they can talk. FitzStubbs senior hopes to marry Rose's
mother. Mrs. Frumpington, a spiritualist, is worried that her late husband
may disapprove of her marrying FitzStubbs. Visiting her daughter's house,
she is alone in a room and hears a voice evidently talking to her. It is
Philip, trying to talk to Rose by telephone, but Mrs. Frumpington assumes it
to be the voice of her dead husband. She replies to the voice. Philip,
assuming that he is speaking to Rose, becomes increasingly agitated at the
strange answers he is getting down the wire, and eventually rushes across the
street. All is explained, and finding that there is no spiritual objection,
Mrs. Frumpington accepts Fitzstubbs's proposal, and the parents consent to
the marriage of their children. The Roles and original cast included:
Napoleon FitzStubbs – Eric Lewis, Philip FitzStubbs – Charles Rowan.
* "Princess Ida, or Castle Adamant: a respectful operatic perversion of
Tennyson." SULLIVAN. Libretto: Gilbert.
*"Mikado, or the Town of Titipu". SULLIVAN. Libretto: Gilbert.
* 1886. * "The Carp". Alfred CELLIER. Libretto: Frank Desprez & Arnold
Felix. Tenor role: AMANDUS, created by Charles Hildesley. SYNOPSIS: In a
charming rural 17th century setting, near a stream and rustic bridge, Piscator
arrives, looking forward to a quiet day's fishing. He is interrupted by
Amandus, who wants to commit suicide by drowning himself in the river. Piscator,
upset, tells Amandus that he has, throughout his life, tried to catch a
particular carp at this place. If Amandus throws himself in, he will chase
away the carp and spoil a lifetime of work. Amandus, in turn, tells Piscator
of his hopeless love affair. He promises to wait until after 6 PM, when
Piscator must return home, before drowning himself. Amanda arrives, and she
wants to commit suicide in the river, also over a hopeless love affair.
Piscator tells her she must wait, and then goes up the bank, where he has seen
the carp nibble at his line. Amanda tells Amandus about her plan to throw
herself into the river, but Amandus notes that he has already claimed the
pool for that purpose. Amandus's love is Clorinda, Amanda's dearest friend.
Amanda then gives Amandus information that casts Clorinda in a bad light. She
also shows Amandus that Clorinda has given a very unflattering profile of
Amandus in a letter that Clorinda wrote to Amanda. As the two continue to
converse, Amanda finds out that her love, Corydon, is Amandus's best friend.
Amandus reveals, however, that Corydon had paid off a gambling debt to
Amandus by giving him Amanda's ring. He also relates some rather unflattering
things that Corydon had told him about Amanda. Soon, the two are no longer
enamoured of their former loves and are now in love with each other. By the
time Piscator returns, neither of them wishes to commit suicide any more.
Musical numbers: The Fisherman, at the Break of Day, I Loved Her! Why does
azure deck the sky? It's really very hard, My heart is doubly broken! –
Mem'ries, Finale – Mem'ries. (At the end of July 1886, Amandus was taken over
by Charles Wilbraham).
* "Ruddygore, or the Witch's curse. SULLIVAN. Libretto: Gilbert.
* 1888. * "Yeomen of the Guard, the -- or the merry man and his maid."
SULLIVAN. Libretto: Gilbert.
* "Mrs. Jarramie's Genie". ALFRED and François Cellier. Libretto: Frank
Desprez. SYNOPSIS: The scene is the morning room of Mr. Jarramie's house,
Harley Street, London. The Era printed this summary of the plot in its review
of the first performance: Mr and Mrs Barrington Jarramie are fashionable
parvenus who are elevating themselves in society by the lever of politics.
Daphne, their daughter, is secretly engaged to one Ernest Pepperton, an
enthusiastic young Radical, who has incurred Mr Jarramie's dislike by his
unorthodox politics. Mrs Jarramie is anxious about a very particular dinner which
she is going to give that day. She has, by patience and diplomacy, secured
a duchess as her guest, and Elie (Mrs Jarramie) condones her butler,
Smithers's, pilfering of his choice imperial Tokay in order to keep him in good
humour on the great occasion. A parcel arrives containing a present from
Daphne's sailor cousin, an ancient lamp which he has sent as a bit of
bric-a-brac. Daphne thoughtlessly runs out to get Smithers to clean the article,
and that worthy soon appears and remonstrates with his mistress on the
subject, winding up by giving "notice." It seems, however, that the real cause
of the resignation is that Smithers has heard that Mr Jarramie is
"blackballed" for the Cerulean Club, for which he had been put up. Mrs Jarramie loses
her temper, and mentions the Tokay, and the butler spitefully leaves on
the instant, taking his fiancée, the cook, with him. Mrs Jarramie is in
despair but rubbing the lamp angrily, the room darkens, a vast cloud of smoke
fills the air and Ben-Zoh-Leen, the Slave of Aladdin's Lamp, mysteriously
appears. After mutual explanations, Mrs Jarramie engages him as cook and
butler combined, for by his magic power he can change in a moment from one
character to the other. In the twinkling of an eye he appears in the complete
dress of a chef and goes about his business. Mr Jarramie comes down, and
opens his letters. His Liverpool agents have sent him a combination safe, but
have not forwarded the key word by which alone it can be opened. Finding the
lamp in an escritoire, he dusts it, and the Genie appears from the kitchen.
Mr Jarramie promptly engages him as an electioneering canvasser, and the
Slave has to make a change to the orthodox frock-coat and high hat of a
politician. Mrs Jarramie's jealousy, which has accidentally been aroused by her
husband's late hours, is set aflame by the perusal of a telegram to him
which she opens. She mistakes the wording "Did you get safe in last night!"
and the female name which serves as a key-word to the safe, for a
communication from a lady; and when she finds that Mr Jarramie has taken her chef
away to use him as a canvasser, she orders Ben-Zoh-Leen to take her husband to
– Timbuctoo. He does so; and then Pepperton explains to Mrs Jarramie the
facts of her error. Horror! Mr Jarramie must be brought back. But Mrs
Jarramie has carelessly put the lamp in the combination safe, and turned the
handle. Ben-Zoh-Leen cannot conscientiously obey any one not "holding" the
lamp, and Mr Jarramie is in an uncomfortable position, as the Genie amicably
placed him in the midst of a tribe of natives of cannibalistic propensities.
After a certain amount of agony Pepperton finds the letter containing the
key-word, the lamp is recovered, and Mr Jarramie restored to the bosom of
his family, Pepperton pardoned, and the Genie is given his freedom, and set
up in an oil and lamp business, his last service being as a bald-headed and
highly respectable butler, to serve up the dinner and announce "The
Duchess!" on which happy termination the curtain drops. The roles and original
cast included Mr. Harington Jarramie – Wallace Brownlow, Ernest Pepperton –
J. Wilbraham, Smithers, the butler – Charles Gilbert, Bill, workman – Henry
le Breton, Jim, workman – A. Medcalf, Ben-Zoh-Leen, the Slave of the Lamp –
John Wilkinson. Brownlow was replaced by J. M. Gordon. Shortly after
opening, Le Breton was replaced by Jesse Smith. In August 1889, Wilkinson was
replaced by A. Medcalf and Bowden Haswell replaced Medcalf as Jim.
*"Gondoliers, the -- or the republic of Barataria." SULLIVAN. Libretto:
GILBERT.
* 1891. * "Nautch Girl or, The Rajah of Chutneypore" . EDWARD SOLOMON.
Libretto: George Dance & Frank Desprez. Tenor role: Indru, the son of the
rajah of Chutneypore--tenorCourtice Pounds. Tenor aria:When All the World Was
Bright, Love.
* "Captain Billy". François Cellier. Libretto: Harry Greenbank. Tenor role:
Christopher Jolly (created by C. R. Rose). Synopsis: Captain Billy has
been absent from Porthaven, his native village, for many years. His relatives
do not know that he has been pursuing a very successful career as a pirate.
A young foundling, Christopher Jolly (TENOR -- role created by C. R.
Rose), visits the village to examine the parish register in an attempt to find
his birth certificate. Billy returns to the village on the same day and is
recognised by his brother Samuel Chunk. Billy is reunited with his wife, who
is surprised to discover that she is not a widow after all, and
Christopher Jolly discovers that he is Billy's nephew, whom the old scoundrel had
"lost" in the Sahara Desert many years before. Musical numbers: Song -
Christopher Jolly -- "Oh! it isn't very nice when you fail...", Duet - Christopher
and Polly -- "When flowers blossom in the spring...", Quartett and Dance -
Widow Jackson, Polly, Christopher and Chunk -- "With beating heart I wait
to see...", Song - Captain Billy, with Samuel Chunk -- "A pirate bold am
I...", Song - Widow Jackson -- "I thought my dashing buccaneer..., Quartett
-- Polly, Widow Jackson, Christopher and Captain Billy - "It's unpleasant,
mia cara..., Finale - "By fate released at last...".
* 1892. * "Vicar of Bray, The". Libretto by Sydney Grundy -- Music by:
Edward Solomon. Tenor role: Reverend Henry Sandford, a curate –played in the
first Savoy production by Courtice Pounds
* "Haddon Hall". SULLIVAN. Wiki has photo of Pounds as John Manners.
Libretto: S. Grundy.
* 1893. * "Jane Annie, or the Good Conduct Prize". ERNEST FORD. Libretto:
J. M. Barrie & Arthur Conan Doyle. Tenor role: Tom, a press student,
created by Charles Kenningham
* "Utopia Limited, or the flowers of progress. SULLIVAN. Libretto: Gilbert.
* "Mirette". Music by André Messager. Libretto by: Harry Greenbank &
Fred E. Weatherly (revised by Adrian Ross). Tenor role: Picorin, a gypsy, in
love with Mirette (tenor) – Courtice Pounds
* "Mr. Jericho". ERNEST FORD. Libretto: Harry Greenbank. The roles and
cast included: Michael de Vere, Earl of Margate – George de Pledge and later
W.H. Leon, Horace Alexander de Vere, Viscount Ramsgate (An Omnibus Driver) –
Bates Maddison and later Sidwell Jones, Mr. Jericho (A Jam Manufacturer) –
J. Bowden Haswell. The Musical numbers include: When Sunny Summer Ripens
Corn – Horace, My Heart Goes Pit-a-Pat – Winifred and Horace, My Smelling
Salts Get – Winifred, Lady Bushey and Horace, Jericho's Jams – Mr. Jericho,
There Came to Maiden Innocence – Lady Bushey and Mr. Jericho, Who, Alas!
Would Be A Peer? – Quintet, and Soon There Shall Ring. SYNOPSIS: The Earl of
Margate has squandered his money, and so he lives in a cottage and must do
his own gardening, while his son is reduced to working as an omnibus
driver. After he crashes his bus one day, he and his father commiserate over
their troubles. Horace believes that he will never be able to win the love of
Winifred, Lady Bushey's daughter, one of his regular passengers. Winifred
arrives at the cottage and reveals to Horace that she loves him too. Lady
Bushey appears and, seeing the humble cottage, is appalled that Winifred loves
"a commoner." She drags Winifred away, and Horace is heartbroken. A
world-famous jam manufacturer, Mr. Jericho, shows up looking for a lady friend.
Horace tells him that his father is very fond of Jericho's Jams. Jericho
offers to pay Horace's father handsomely for this customer testimonial, to use
it in advertising the jams. Jericho's lady friend turns out to be Lady
Bushey. Now it is Winifred's turn to be appalled. Jericho encourages Lady
Bushey to look favourably upon the romance of Horace and Winifred, but Lady
Bushey repeats that her daughter must marry a peer. When they meet, Jericho
recognizes the Earl and is delighted to offer him a generous allowance in
return for his statement about his love for the jam. Jericho also suggests that
Horace become a partner in the jam firm, giving Horace the financial means
to marry Winifred, and all ends happily as Jericho and Lady Bushey come to
a very satisfactory arrangement.
* 1894. * "Chieftain, The". SULLIVAN. Libretto: F. C. Burnand. Tenor
roles: Pedro Gomez (consulting lawyer, astrologer, and keeper of the archives of
the Ladrones) (tenor) – Scott Russell, Count Vasquez de Gonzago (A Spanish
Noble) (tenor) – Courtice Pounds.
* "Grand Duke, The -- or the statuary duel". SULLIVAN. Libretto: GILBERT.
* "Quite an Adventure". EDWARD SOLOMON. Libretto: Frank Desprez. SYNOPSIS:
A young married lady, Mrs. Wallaby, living at Croydon, and always in great
fear of burglars, is left alone meditating upon a little adventure she has
had at Victoria Station. She had been to an entertainment, and from
excitement or fatigue had felt faint, when a benevolent young gentleman, a
stranger, came to her assistance. Arriving safely at Croydon, however, she is
rather startled at receiving a visitor, no other than the gentleman who had so
kindly rendered assistance. The stranger, after an apology for troubling
her so late, ultimately explains that he cannot get into his rooms, and is
locked out, the fact being that in his desire to hasten her recovery he had
put his latch key down the lady's back. With many apologies the gentlemen
requests Mrs. Wallaby to shake herself a little in order to discover if she
is carrying the latch key about her, and with some confusion the lady
consents, and after much comic gesticulation the key eventually falls on the
floor. Meanwhile, poor Mr. Fraser, the benevolent owner of the key, hears the
shriek and roar of the last train to London, and the rain is coming down in
torrents. What is to be done? Mrs. Wallaby has not the heart to turn him
out, and so, anticipating her husband's speedy return, she supplies the
stranger with brandy and water, cigars, her husband's slippers and dressing
gown, and leaves him. Mr. Fraser accordingly makes himself comfortable, takes
off his wet coat, and wetter boots, mixes a stiff glass of brandy and water,
and waxes enthusiastic respecting the charming young wife. He, however,
first hangs up his dripping clothes in the hall, but is speedily startled at
hearing footsteps, and presumes this must be the burglar whose appearance
Mrs. Wallaby so much dreaded. It is no burglar, but her own husband, who,
discovering a man in the house is terribly alarmed. Both the men are
desperately afraid of each other, and the situation serves for the introduction of
an amusing duet. In the height of their excitement a policeman enters. He
has been waiting for an interview with the cook, and wonders that the siren
of the kitchen is so long in coming to meet him. Curious to ascertain the
cause of the delay, he comes cautiously into the house through the French
windows opening on the garden, and immediately pounces upon the two men. Mr.
Fraser, the owner of the latch key, at once gives the husband in charge; but
Mrs. Wallaby enters, and explains, and all ends happily, the stranger
being invited to spend the remainder of the night with them. The Savoy cast
was: Mr. Wallaby – Robert Rous, Mr. Fraser – Henri Delplanque, Police Officer
– Albert E. Rees, and Mrs. Wallaby – Re Stephanie.
* "Cox & Box". SULLIVAN. Libretto: F. C. Burnand. Roles: James John Cox, A
Journeyman Hatter (baritone), John James BOX, A Journeyman Printer
(tenor), and Sergeant Bouncer, Late of the Dampshire Yeomanry, with military
reminiscences (bass-baritone). Box's Musical numbers: Lullaby, "Hush-a-bye,
Bacon" (Box), Trio, "Who are You, Sir?" (Box, Cox, Bouncer), Serenade, "The
Buttercup" (Box, Cox), Romance, "Not Long Ago" (Box, with Cox), Gambling Duet,
"Sixes!" (Box, Cox), Finale, "My Hand upon It" (Box, Cox, Bouncer).
* 1896. * "Weather or No". Bertram LUARD-SELBY. Libretto: Adrian Ross and
William Beach. SYNOPSIS: The story concerns two figures who come in and out
of a toy weather house according to whether it is wet or dry, and so they
cannot meet. Nevertheless, the couple fall in love and eventually wrench
themselves away from their supports so that they may be together. The original
cast was: She. Emmie Owen for the first week, then Beatrice Perry. He.
Scott Russell.
* 1897. * "His Majesty, or the court of Vingolia" -- Alexander Mackenzie.
Libretto by F. C. Burnand, R. C. Lehmann, & Adrian Ross. Tenor roles: Count
Cosmo (Prime Minister and First Lord of the Admiralty) (tenor) – Scott
Russell, Prince Max (of Baluria) (tenor) – Charles Kenningham.
* "Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, The". Jacques Offenbach. Libretto: Charles
H. Brookfield & Adrian Ross.
* "Old Sarah". François Cellier. LIBRETTO: Harry Greenbank. SYNOPSIS: In
Dullport, a dreary seaside town, out of season, Old Sarah sells sweets from a
stall. She has only sold 2 ounces of acid drops and a pennyworth of mint
rock in 7 weeks. Simon smuggles rum as the only way to make an "honest"
living. Because nobody has any money, they all hate Archibald Jones, the income
tax collector, except his sweetheart Margery (Simon's daughter). Claude
Newcastle, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, arrives. By snooping around, he
discovers a lot of things about people's incomes. However, when he snoops on
Sarah she locks him in a bathing machine and threatens to drown him in the
sea. He is, however, rescued by Archibald, forgives everybody, and all
ends happily. The original cast was: The Rt. Hon. Claude Newcastle, Chancellor
of the Exchequer. Jones Hewson, Archibald Jones, income tax collector.
Charles Childerstone, Simon, a smuggler. Charles Herbert Workman, Margery, his
daughter. Jessie Rose, and Old Sarah. Louie Henri (Scott Russell took over
from Childerstone for some of the performances).
* 1898. * "Beauty Stone, The". SULLIVAN. Libretto: A. W. Pinero & amp; J.
Comyns Carr. Tenor role: Philip, Lord of Mirlemont, created by George
Devoll. Tenor aria: "I Love Thee".
* 1899. * "Lucky Star, The". "Ivan Caryll". Libretto: Charles H.
Brookfield, Adrian Ross, & Aubrey Hopwood.
Tenor role: Tapioca, created by Evett. Tenor aria: "Dreaming in the dark,
your vision comes upon my lonely slumber"
* "Rose of Persia, The". Arthur Sullivan. Libretto: Basil Hood. Tenor
role: Yussuf, a professional story-teller -- created by Robert Evett. Tenor
aria: "Our tale is told".
* 1900. * "Pretty Polly". François Cellier. Libretto: Basil Hood. SYNOPSIS:
A good-hearted young man, Charlie Brown, has been abroad for some time. He
wants to propose to pretty Polly Grey, but he is shy. He brings a talking
parrot to her apartment to say the words "Pretty Polly! I wonder if she
ever thinks of me!", which he hopes will "break the ice" for him, but he hides
the parrot until he can determine whether or not she likes parrots. The
lady sees the parrot and overhears his planning. She mischievously plays
hard-to-get, claiming to hate parrots, but she happily accepts a bouquet of
flowers from Brown (although the flowers had actually been sent by a rival,
Percy Green). Brown hopes to sneak out without letting her know that he has
brought the parrot, but Polly gives him a large dose of quinine to drink (as
he had tried to excuse himself on account of tropical fever) and begs him
to tell of his travels. Just then the bird squawks out "Pretty Polly!" and
Brown tries to cover again, saying that he has learnt the skill of
ventriloquism in India. As Brown tries to put the parrot's cage outside the window
surreptitiously, Polly "notices" the parrot. Brown, thinking quickly, ties
Percy Green's card to the cage and says that the parrot must have come from
Mr Green. Polly exclaims that poor Freen must have sent it to her "to
break the ice for him! What a clever idea!" Gathering his courage, Brown makes
the following speech: Before I leave you for South Africa I must tell you
as an honourable man that I have misled you. That is my parrot. Mr Percy
Green’s card was tied to it by - by mistake. The voice you heard was not my
voice, but my parrot's. The bird can talk, and I wanted it to say something
which I was too shy to say myself. I meant it to break the ice for me. The
clever idea was mine, not Mr Percy Green’s. Farewell! Polly then asks what
else he taught the bird to say. Brown replies, "I wonder if she ever thinks
of me!". Polly admits that the answer is "Yes". As Brown happily moves to
kiss his pretty tormenter, she stops him: "One moment!" she covers up the
parrot. "Parrots talk, you know!" They kiss. The first Savoy Theatre cast
included Charlie Brown – Henry Lytton (who also played the Sultan in The Rose
of Persia), From December 1900, the cast included: Charlie Brown – Robert
Evett (who also played the Duke of Dunstable in Patience),
* "Outpost, The". HAMILTON CLARKE. Libretto: Albert O'Donnell Bartholeyns.
The roles and original cast included: Walter – H. Carlyle Pritchard, Henry
– Charles Childerstone, Karl – W. H. Leon, Colonel – Edwin Bryan, Captain
– Powis Pinder/ J. Lewis Campion, Corporal – Iago Lewis [Lewys]. (Campion
played from 30 July to 11 August, while Pinder was substituting as the
Pirate King in Pirates. The touring cast included Fred G. Edgar, W. G. Lennox,
E. A. White, R. A. Swinhoe, Fred Drawater, Bernard Fisher, Edward L. Bishop
and, at times, Frank Robey. SYNOPSIS. Körner's original libretto depicts a
young French soldier sent to guard the German border. He hates military
life, deserts his post, crosses into Germany, marries a German girl and lives
happily as a farmer. Four years later, war breaks out, and the French army
crosses the border. The young man is recognised, arrested, and charged
with desertion, a capital offence. He decides to claim that he has been at his
post the whole time, but the French do not believe this story and put him
before a court martial. He is saved by the intervention of the French
general who gives him the benefit of the doubt and an honourable discharge from
the army, and he returns to living happily as a farmer. It is not known how
much, if at all, Bartholeyns altered the original plot. The dramatis
personae of both versions are essentially the same, with the addition of a
corporal in the English version. The names of the heroine (Kate/Käthchen) and
her father (Walter/Walther) are merely Anglicised.
* 1901. * "Emerald Isle, The -- or, The Caves of Carrig-Cleena". SULLIVAN
and Edward German. Libretto: Basil Hood. Tenor role: Terence O'Brian (a
Young Rebel) created by – Robert Evett.
* "Ib and Little Christina". FRANCO LEONI. Libretto: Basil Hood. Tenor
role: Ib, created by R. Evett.
* 'Willow Pattern, The". CECIL COOK. Libretto: Basil Hood. Roles and cast:
Ah Mee, a maiden. Agnes Fraser, Hi Ho, her lover. Powis Pinder, So Hi, her
father. Reginald Crompton, So Lo, his friend. Robert Rous, Wee Ping, a rich
lady. Rosina Brandram, Ping Pong. Walter Passmore, Tee Thing, his
grandmother. Jessie Pounds, Fee Fi, a poor girl. Blanche Gaston Murray, and Fo Fum,
her lover. W. H. Leon.
EDWARDIAN OPERAS
* 1902. * "Merrie England". Edward German. Libretto: Basil Hood. Tenor
role: Sir Walter Raleigh, created by Robert Evett. Tenor aria: "Dan Cupid Hath
a Garden"
* 1903. * "Princess of Kensington, A". Edward German. Libretto: Basil
Hood. Tenor role: Brook Green, a Junior Clerk --created by Robert Evett. Tenor
aria: "A blue sky and a blue sea" (the aria was replaced during the
original run, with the song "Where haven lies").
* 1908. "Welsh Sunset, A": one-act opera. Michael FARADAY. Libretto:
Frederick Fenn Philip. TENOR ROLE: Griffith David, a young Welshman -- played by
Strafford Moss. Tenor arias: "Heart of my soul" and "Hush't lies the land".
SYNOPSIS: Jenny and Griffith are in love. Griffith has a great tenor voice
and has been singing an audition for Covent Garden opera. It is evening,
Jenny and her mother are waiting outside Mrs. Jones's Cottage on a Welsh
hillside for the boys to come home from Bala. They are joined by the other
village girls. Griffith has been successful, and when he arrives he tells
Jenny of the wonderful rich and famous life that awaits her in London. Jenny
asks her lover to sing to her before he goes home. She says, "I feel tonight
as though tomorrow wouldn't come for years and years." Griffith sings to
her, saying that it is she in his heart that makes him sing. When the song is
over, she appears to be asleep, and he takes her hand, but it is lifeless.
He exclaims, "What's the good of fame and money now? It was for her, and
now I can give her nothing!"
* 1909. "Mountaineers, The". Reginald Somerville. Libretto: Guy Eden. Tenor
role: Conrad, a rich man from the city -- created by A. Laurence Legge.
Tenor arias: "Was it the sigh of a passing soul?" "Is the love dead?"
* "Fallen Fairies; or, the Wicked World". Edward German. Libretto: W. S.
Gilbert. The tenor roles are:
The Fairy Ethais (tenor) – Claude Flemming[15]Sir Ethais, a Hunnish Knight
(tenor) – Claude Flemming
* 1910. * "Two Merry Monarchs". Tenor: Roland Cunningham, with soprano.
ORLANDO MORGAN. Libretto: Arthur Anderson, George Levy, & Hartley
Carrick. Tenor role: Prince Charmis, Governor of Police -- created by Roland
Cunningham (then C. Hayden Coffin). TENOR ARIA: "Love of my life". Synopsis
Act I - A laburnum-hung Courtyard outside the Royal Palace of Esperanto. A
tocsin-bell summons the populace, who rush out to hear the king's herald,
Helvanoise, announce a new law: Kissing is now forbidden for one year under
penalty of banishment. Those who wish to continue to kiss must purchase a
kissing license from Rolandyl, the Post-Master General. Princess Iris has
known about the law for the past three days because she is engaged to the
Post-Master General. Princess Cynthia, King Paul's adopted daughter, is in
love with Prince Charmis, the Governor of Police. They agree to keep their
engagement a secret and do not get a kissing license. The public is incensed
about the new law, and led by Caroline, they protest the edict on the steps
of the palace. King Paul justifies his decision to enact the law, and when
the crowd does not accept his argument, he weeps them into submission.
King Paul tells his life story to Rolandyl. Nine hundred years ago, King Paul
was an alchemist who discovered the Elixir of Life, and when he drank it,
he became immortal. His bonehead assistant stole some of the Elixir and
drank it as well. Twenty years ago, King Paul betrothed the adopted daughter of
the late King to the King of Utopia, who comes to Esperanto today to claim
his affianced bride. King Paul has brought up Princess Cynthia on slow
poisons so that she may take a heavy dose of poison without feeling the
effects. King Paul plans to get her to kiss the King of Utopia, and he will
barter crown and country for an antidote, then King Paul will rule throughout
the world.
Meanwhile, Helvanoise is furious to learn that Iris has been flirting with
Rolandyl. King Paul tells Cynthia about her betrothal, and when she begins
to cry, he gives her an "extra special sweet" to make her feel better.
King Utops of Utopia arrives, accompanied by Mandamus and the King's
Bodyguard. Princess Cynthia is presented to him, and when he tries to kiss her hand,
Charmis interrupts him and informs him that he must get a license before
kissing anybody. Act II - The Reception Room inside the Royal Palace of
Esperanto. Evening. Charmis has called in the constables to act as flunkeys in
case of any disturbance this evening. He swears he will protect Cynthia from
King Utops at any cost. Six ladies-in-waiting are late for the ball, so
Mandamus will not admit them. They press Helvanoise to choose a girl from the
six of them, but he declines to make a selection. The ballroom guests
appear with Iris, who tells the ladies where they might get a kissing license,
even though the men show no interest in purchasing one. Iris decides that
when Cynthia and Charmis announce their engagement, she will announce her
engagement to the Post-Master General. King Utops works his charm on Cynthia,
and when he moves to kiss her, Charmis interrupts them again. Utops
produces his license - a license to sell wines and consume liquor on the
premises! Utops complains to Paul that Rolandyl sold him the wrong license, and
that he doesn't like Charmis hanging around Cynthia. King Paul orders Rolandyl
to set up his office in the reception room and sell licenses to the public.
Utops finally kisses Cynthia, but when Utops fails to respond to the
poison, he admits that he was Paul's assistant when he discovered the Elixir of
Life. The world isn't big enough for two immortal kings, so they decide to
fight a duel, in which they drink from two glasses. One is filled with
water, the other is filled with a liquid which makes the drinker mortal. So
that there is no cheating, Charmis and Mandamus are summoned to supervise the
duel. King Paul tells Charmis about the Elixir and explains that he still
has a phial in his cabinet. Charmis is to get the phial and bring to him at
once. Unbeknownst to them, Charmis mixed the drinks while the kings were
blindfolded, and when they drink, they are both in the cart. Charmis returns
with Cynthia and everyone, saying that they drank the Elixir and will live
forever as King and Queen of Esperanto. Mandamus is appointed King of
Utopia, Utops becomes his Lord Chief Justice, and Paul becomes Charmis' Governor
of Police. Helvanoise is named the new Post-Master General, and when
Rolandyl tries to speak to Iris, she reminds him that she will marry the
Post-Master General, who is now Helvanoise. The kissing law is repealed, and the
happy couples leave Rolandyl, Utops and Paul disconsolate.