The Desert Flower

The Desert Flower is an opera in three acts composed by William Vincent Wallace. The libretto was an English translation and adaptation by A. Harris and Thomas J. Williams of the libretto by Henri Saint-Georges and Adolphe de Leuven for Halévy's Jaguarita l'Indienne. The Desert Flower premiered on 12 October 1863 in London at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in a performance by the Pyne and Harrison English Opera Company with Louisa Pyne in the title role.

Background and performance history

The Desert Flower marked the last opera completed by Wallace, and its premiere opened the 8th and final season of Louisa Pyne and William Harrison's English Opera Company. The Prince of Wales was in the audience, and Louisa Pyne herself sang the role of Oanita, with Harrison as Captain Maurice. A contemporary review pronounced the songs "pretty" and the music "pleasing" but noted that "there are no passages which, by their brilliancy and sweetnesss, raise the work to the heights which the composer has achieved in some of his former operas."[1]

Willoughby Weiss photographed in 1863 as Casgan in The Desert Flower

The opera was not a particular success with audiences either, and was withdrawn after two weeks.[2] The Desert Flower received its US premiere at New York's Academy of Music on 12 January 1868 with Caroline Richings as Oanita and William Castle as Captain Maurice.[3] Wallace's opera is all but forgotten now, but the overture is occasionally played in concerts. Wilhelm Kuhe[4] composed a Fantasia for piano based on its score, and in 1867 its main arias and duets were published as parlour songs in The Vocal Gems of William Vincent Wallace's Romantic Opera The Desert Flower.

Principal roles and premiere cast

Role Voice type Premiere cast[5]
12 October 1863
Oanita soprano Louisa Pyne
Captain Maurice tenor William Harrison
Major Hector Van Pumpernickle bass Henry Corri
Casgan bass or bass-baritone Willoughby Weiss
Sergeant Peterman bass Thomas Aynsley Cook
Eva contralto Susan Pyne

Synopsis

Although based on Halévy's Jaguarita l'Indienne, the setting is shifted from Dutch Guyana to a Dutch settlement in North America under siege by Indians, led by their beautiful queen, Oanita. The settlement is protected by two Dutch officers, the brave Captain Maurice and Major Hector Van Pumpernickle (who provides the comic relief). Matters become complicated when Oanita and Captain Maurice fall in love. This leads Oanita's henchman, Casgan, to challenge Maurice to fight. Casgan is defeated and a settlement is negotiated by the lovers which allows the Indians and settlers to peacefully co-exist.

Main arias and duets

Act II, Scene 1 from the original production of The Desert Flower. Captain Maurice declares his love for Oanita and sings "Though born in woods, rude nature's child".

Recordings

There is no recording of the complete opera. Only one aria with piano accompaniment has so far been recorded:

References

  1. ↑ The Rose, the Shamrock and the Thistle, p. 223. See also Wyndham (1906) p. 243.
  2. ↑ Flood (1912) pp. 28-29.
  3. ↑ Brown (1903) Vol. 2, p. 59.
  4. ↑ Wilhelm Kuhe (1823–1912) was a Prague born pianist, composer, and impresario.
  5. ↑ Premiere cast from Wallace (1863) p. 3
  6. ↑ List based on the contents of The Vocal Gems of William Vincent Wallace's Romantic Opera The Desert Flower at Public Domain Music (pdmusic.org)

Sources