Eileen (musical)

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Sheet music cover
Eileen

Music	Victor Herbert
Lyrics	Henry Blossom
Book	Henry Blossom
Based upon	Rory O'Moore by Samuel Lover
Productions	1917 Broadway

Eileen is a comic opera (sometimes described as a musical) with music by Victor Herbert and lyrics and book by Henry Blossom based loosely on the 1835 novel Rory O'Moore by Herbert's grandfather, Samuel Lover. Set in 1798, the story concerns an Irish revolutionary arrested by the British for treason. Eileen, his nobly born sweetheart, and her aunt, help him to escape by disguising him as a servant. The British recaptured him, and he is about to be shot when a pardon arrives. All ends well for both him and for all the revolutionaries.

After Cleveland tryouts under the name of Hearts of Erin, the musical moved on to Boston, changing its name to Eileen. It then opened at the Shubert Theatre on March 19, 1917 and ran for only 64 performances. It was produced by Joe Weber, formerly of the comedy duo Weber and Fields. It then toured, but a fire destroyed its costumes three months into the tour.^[1] Because of its short initial run, the show was rarely revived until 1998, when it was produced and recorded by the Ohio Light Opera. However, its hit song "Thine Alone" was frequently recorded.

Herbert was eager to write an "Irish" musical to celebrate the land of his birth. Much of the original orchestration has been lost, but Ohio Light Opera's 1998 recording is reorchestrated, with the help of some Herbert recordings, by Quaid Winter.

1 Roles and original cast
2 Synopsis
3 Recording
4 Songs
5 Notes and references
6 External links

[edit] Roles and original cast

Eileen Mulvaney, niece of Lady Maude (soprano) - Grace Breen
Captain Barry O’Day, a fine Irish Rebel (tenor) - Walter Scanlan
Lady Maude Estabrooke, Eileen's Aunt - Olga Roller
Colonel Lester, the local British authority - Edward Martindel
Shaun Dhu, Barry’s steadfast mate - Greek Evans
Sir Reginald Stribling, a British Knight - Algernon Grieg
Rosie Flynn - Louise Allen
Biddy Flynn - F. Josie Claflin
"Humpy" Grogan - John B. Cooke
Lanty Hackett - Harry Crosby
Mickey O'Brien - Joseph Dillon
Dinny Doyle - Scott Welsh
Chorus of Villagers

[edit] Synopsis

Act I

Lady Maude, widow of Lord Estabrook, an English lady, is the mistress of Castle Sligo, creating resentment among the Irish locals. Shaun Dhu leads a band of smugglers on the Western coast of Ireland that includes Barry O'Day. The band stores its loot at Biddy's Black Bull Inn. Lady Maude and her niece, Eileen, stop at the Inn when their carriage breaks down. Barry O'Day protects them from some village drunks. Colonel Lester comes to arrest Barry, but he escapes as Lady Maude's groom.

Act II

Later, at Castle Sligo, Lady Maude has developed affection for Barry. Eileen explains that Barry is a rogue. Nevertheless, Maude decides to help Barry escape again from the Colonel by putting a coachman's uniform on her guest, Sir Reggie, making him a decoy. Sir Reggie is arrested and sentenced to death before the Colonel learns that he has been fooled and that Barry has gotten away again.

Act III

By the time of Lady Maud's birthday, Eileen and Barry have fallen in love. Learning that Barry is there, the Colonel has his men surround the castle. Barry surrenders, but news arrives that the King has pardoned the rebels. The arrest is reversed, various couples are united, including Barry and Eileen, and it is declared that "Ireland shall stand among all nations of the world."

[edit] Recording

Al Goodman's orchestra and soloists recorded six highlights from Eileen on a set of 78 RPM records. These selections were later reissued by RCA Camden on one side of a 12-inch LP (selections from Polonaise are on the reverse). This album has been out-of-print since the late 1950's.