''Love in a Village'' is a

ballad opera The ballad opera is a genre of English stage entertainment that originated in the early 18th century, and continued to develop over the following century and later. Like the earlier '' comédie en vaudeville'' and the later ''Singspiel'', its disti ...

in three acts that was composed and arranged by

Thomas Arne Thomas Augustine Arne (; 12 March 17105 March 1778) was an English composer. He is best known for his patriotic song "Rule, Britannia!" and the song "A-Hunting We Will Go", the latter composed for a 1777 production of ''The Beggar's Opera'', whic ...

. A pastiche, the work contains 42 musical numbers of which only five were newly composed works by Arne. The other music is made up of 13 pieces borrowed from Arne's earlier stage works, a new overture was by

C. F. Abel Carl Friedrich Abel (22 December 1723 – 20 June 1787) was a German composer of the Classical period (music), Classical era. He was a renowned player of the viol, viola da gamba, and produced significant compositions for that instrument. ...

, and 23 songs by other composers, including

Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

, Boyce, Geminiani, Giordani, and

Galuppi Baldassare Galuppi (18 October 17063 January 1785) was an Italian composer, born on the island of Burano in the Venetian Republic. He belonged to a generation of composers, including Johann Adolph Hasse, Giovanni Battista Sammartini, and C.&nb ...

, albeit with new texts. The

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

, by

Isaac Bickerstaffe Isaac Bickerstaffe or Bickerstaff (26 September 1733 – after 1808) was an Irish playwright and Librettist. Early life Isaac John Bickerstaff was born in Dublin, on 26 September 1733, where his father John Bickerstaff held a government posi ...

, is based on Charles Johnson’s 1729 play '' The Village Opera''. The opera premiered at the Royal Opera,

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...

in London on 8 December 1762.John A. Parkinson: "Love in a Village", ''Grove Music Online'' ed. L. Macy (Accessed February 16, 2009)
(subscription access)
/ref> One of its best known songs is the '' Miller of Dee''.

History

''Love in a Village'' was received enthusiastically at its premiere and became one of Arne's more popular operas, enjoying 40 performances in its first season alone. The work's success began a vogue for pastiche opera in England that lasted well into the 19th century. The opera has subsequently been revived numerous times, both during Arne's lifetime and after. A notable revival occurred at the

Lyric Hammersmith The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a theatre on Lyric Square, off King Street, Hammersmith, London.

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

in 1928, using an adaptation by Alfred Reynolds. The opera was first published in 1763, but without recitative or librettos. A copy of the full score, which is partly in the composer’s hand, also survives and is in the collection of the library at the

Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music is a music school, conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the Undergraduate education, undergraduate to the Doctorate, doctoral level in a ...

. Most of the music displays a simple and lyrical nature with the exception of the music for Rosetta. Rosetta, a role written for Arne's lover

Charlotte Brent Charlotte Brent (17 December 1734 – 10 April 1802) was a child prodigy and celebrated soprano singer of the 18th century. Life She was the daughter of Catherine and Charles Brent (1693–1770). He was a Handelian counter-tenor, and fencing-ma ...

, requires a gifted

coloratura soprano A coloratura soprano is a type of operatic soprano voice that specializes in music that is distinguished by agile runs, leaps and trills. The term '' coloratura'' refers to the elaborate ornamentation of a melody, which is a typical component o ...

, particularly for the aria "The traveller benighted" which has several challenging passages containing wide vocal leaps, fast runs, and trills.

Roles

Synopsis

The heroine of the story, Rosetta, is fearful of her impending marriage to a man she has never met. Worried that she will be miserable, she runs away from home and acquires a position as a chambermaid in the home of Justice Woodcock. Meanwhile, the son of Sir William Meadows, Thomas, is in an equivalent situation. He also avoids his impending marriage by posing as a gardener in the Justice's household. Rosetta and Thomas meet and soon fall in love. However, both of their families are determined to make them marry their intended future spouses. Just as all seems hopeless, Sir William arrives and reveals that the young lovers have in fact been betrothed to each other the whole time.

Arias

Act 1Based on: ''Love in a Village'' (London: John Walsh, 1763). *Overture *Hope, thou nurse of young desire uet*Whence can you inherit *My heart’s my own *When once love’s subtle *O had I been by fate decreed *Gentle youth, ah! Tell me why *Still in hopes to get the better *There was a jolly miller *Let gay ones and great *The honest heart whose thoughts are clear *Well, well, say no more *Cupid God of soft persuasion *How happy were my days till now *I pray ye gentles list to me ��a medley” Act 2 *We women like poor Indians trade *Think my fairest how delay *Believe me dear aunt *When I follow’d a lass *Let rakes and libertines resigned uet*How blest the maid whose bosom *In vain I ev’ry art essay *Begone, I agree uet*Oh how shall I in language weak *Young I am and sore afraid *Oons! Neighbour ne’er blush *My Dolly was the fairest thing *Was ever poor fellow so plagued *Cease gay seducers *Since Hodge proves ungrateful *In love should there meet a fond pair *Well, come let us hear

rio Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

Act 3 *The world is a well furnished table *‘Tis not wealth, it is not birth *The traveller benighted *If ever a fond inclination *A plague of those wenches *How much superior beauty awes *When we see a lover languish *All I with her obtaining uet*If ever I’m catched *Go naughty man *Hence with cares, complaints and frowning

Sources

{{authority control 1762 operas Operas Ballad operas Operas by Thomas Arne Plays by Isaac Bickerstaffe English-language operas Opera world premieres at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden