His Majesty
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His Majesty, or, The Court of Vingolia is an English comic opera in two acts with dialogue by F. C. Burnand, lyrics by R. C. Lehmann, additional lyrics by Adrian Ross and music by Alexander Mackenzie.
The work premiered at the Savoy Theatre in London on February 20, 1897, running for only 61 performances until April 24, 1897, despite a strong cast including George Grossmith, Ilka Palmay, Scott Russell, Fred Billington, Florence Perry and Walter Passmore. The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company then toured the opera throughout 1897 alongside more familiar Gilbert and Sullivan works.
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[edit] Background
When the Gilbert and Sullivan partnership collapsed after the production of The Gondoliers in 1889, impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte struggled to find successful new works to present at the Savoy Theatre. He was able to bring Gilbert and Sullivan together briefly for two more operas, neither of which was a great success. In fact, after its disappointingly short run, The Grand Duke (1896) was an outright failure. Sullivan had produced two operas for the Savoy in the 1890s with librettists other than W. S. Gilbert, but neither had proved particularly successful, and pieces by other composers, for example Mirette, had fared worse.
Carte assembled a high-quality team for His Majesty, including the well-known dramatist and writer F. C. Burnand and the well-respected composer Alexander Mackenzie. Although this would be his only comic opera, by all accounts Mackenzie's music was superb. The book seems to have been the problem.[1] George Grossmith only lasted four performances before pleading ill-health and returning to retirement. Workman, playing Adam, filled in as King Ferdinand until Henry Lytton arrived to play the King. The histrionic Hungarian actress, Ilka Palmay, who had been engaged for The Grand Duke and was still under contract to Carte, played Felice, a role that gave her many opportunities to display her talents as ballad singer, opera soprano, and comedienne. Florence Perry, who had been playing smaller roles up to that point was given the chance to play Chloris.[2]
[edit] Synopsis
The late father of King Ferdinand intended that Ferdinand marry Lucilla Chloris, the daughter of the king of Osturia, and Chloris has arrived at the Court of Vingolia for the wedding with her ladies. Ferdinand and the Princess have never met and have never seen any portrait of one another.
However, Ferdinand has fallen in love with the peasant maid Felice, the adopted daughter of an old woodman, and has wooed her while disguised as a court artist. Meanwhile, Princess Chloris is in love with Prince Max of Baluria. Prince Max devises a plan which, if carried out, will allow the Princess to elope with him, while Felice takes her place.
Boodel, the King's former master of the revels, has been listening in on various conversations but only hears tail-end of each of them. He concludes that there is a plot afoot to assassinate Ferdinand. He becomes especially suspicious of a trunk carried by Felice. Preparations for war begin. But it turns out that Felice and her trunk bear a secret that changes everything.
[edit] Musical numbers
- Overture
- Act I - Interior of the Palace of Vingolia. View of the Royal Art Galleries.
- No. 1 - Introduction, Trio and Chorus - "When Ferdinand came to Vingolia throne..."
- No. 2 - Chorus - "Hail our King in regal splendour, lo, His Majesty appears..."
- No. 3 - Song with Chorus - King - "I was born upon a Sunday, at the early age of one day..."
- No. 4 - Song - Felice - "In the forest, in the forest, ah! how joyful are the days..."
- No. 5 - Duet - Felice and Boodel - "Now what's you age? ... It's hard to fix, because ... Of course, I know your tricks..."
- No. 6 - Quartet - Gertrude, Adam, Boodel and Felice - "Who goes home? Who goes home?..."
- No. 7 - Duet - Felice and King - "Why, oh why this cruel mockery? You've treated me as crockery is treated..."
- No. 8 - Septett - Cosmo, Vincentius, Michael, Duchess, Schnippentrimmer, Clarkstein and King - "He doesn't explain..."
- No. 9 - Female Chorus - "The mistress we adore is about to enter here. O bright Lucilla Chloris, appear, Princess, appear."
- No. 9a - Song - Chloris and Chorus - "Delightful, oh delightful, I feel inclined to shout..."
- No. 10 - Serenade - Max - "Fair Chloris, let me be thy slave..."
- No. 11 - Quartett - Felice, Chloris, Max and Boodel - "I shall wear velvet and satin that speckless is..."
- No. 12 - Coon Song - "In de music-hally pieces when de rumpty tumpty leases..."
- No. 13 - Beard Chorus - "By the King's decree, all of us are hirsute..."
- No. 14 - Finale Act I - "War, the very word inspires us; Lo, the tempest wakes again..."
- Act II - On the Vingolia Ramparts. Preparations for War.
- No. 1 - Introduction and Chorus - "Behold us, a mobilised nation; the banners are flaunting on high..."
- No. 2 - Song - Felice - "When a gallant soldier loves from his lady love must go..."
- No. 3 - Nautical Song and Hornpipe - Boodel - "Who would not be a sailor..."
- No. 4 - Duet - Felice and King Ferdinand - "What is this mysterious feeling? ..."
- No. 5 - Trio - Felice, Chloris and King Ferdinand - "Das kleine Fraulein..."
- No. 6 - Song - Mopolio - "I am a King who must not smile, a fact profoundly vexing..."
- No. 7 - Duet - Boodel and Mopolio - "Where is my keep in the barbican battlement..."
- No. 8 - Finale Act II - "Ev'ry thought of trouble over, I propose to live in clover..."
[edit] Roles and opening cast
- Ferdinand the Fifth (King of Vingolia) - George Grossmith (later Henry Lytton)
- Count Cosmo (Prime Minster and First Lord of the Admiralty) - Scott Russell
- Baron Vincentius (Lord High Chamberlain and Commander-in-Chief and Secretary of War) - Jones Hewson
- Baron Michael (Vice-Chamberlain; of Celtic extraction) - Mr. Earldon
- Prince Max (of Baluria) - Charles Kenningham
- Mopolio VII (King of Osturia) - Fred Billington
- Boodel (Ex-Master of the Revels to King Ferdinand) - Walter Passmore
- Herr Schippentrimmer (Court Costumier) - Mr. Bryan
- Chevalier Klarkstein de Frise (Court Perruquier) - H. Charles
- Adam (a Woodman) - C. Herbert Workman (also briefly playing Ferdinand between Grossmith' departure and Lytton's arrival)
- Princess Lucilla Chloris (of Osturia, daughter of Mopolio) - Florence Perry
- Felice (adopted daughter of Adam and Gertrude) - Ilka Palmay
- Duchess Gonzara (Mistress of the Royal Wardrobe) - Miss Macaulay
- Dame Gertrude (Wife of Adam) - Bessie Bonsall
- Principal Ladies-in-Waiting on Princess Lucilla Chloris:
- Helena - Jessie Rose
- Dorothea - Ruth Vincent
- Claudina - Mildred Baker
- Ladies and Gentlemen of the Court of Vingolia and Ladies of the Court of Osturia in attendance on Princess Chloris.
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Information and links to introduction, midi files, cast list and reviews of the opera
- Opening night review
- Background and analysis of the opera
