Ivanhoe (opera)
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''Ivanhoe'' is a romantic
opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
in three acts based on the 1819 novel by
Sir Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels '' Ivanhoe'', '' Rob Roy' ...
, with music by
Sir Arthur Sullivan Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was an English composer. He is best known for 14 comic opera, operatic Gilbert and Sullivan, collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including ''H.M.S. Pinaf ...
and a libretto by
Julian Sturgis Julian Russell Sturgis (21 October 1848 – 13 April 1904) was a British-American novelist, poet, librettist and lyricist. Educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford, Sturgis distinguished himself in Eton's sporting activities and rowed ...
. It premiered at the
Royal English Opera House The Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster in London. Its red- brick facade dominates the west side of Cambridge Circus behind a small plaza near the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road. The Pal ...
on 31 January 1891 for a consecutive run of 155 performances, a record for a
grand opera Grand opera is a genre of 19th-century opera generally in four or five acts, characterized by large-scale casts and orchestras, and (in their original productions) lavish and spectacular design and stage effects, normally with plots based on o ...
.''Ivanhoe''
at The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive. This has been surpassed only by
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
's 2003 production of ''
La bohème ''La bohème'' (; ) is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions '' quadri'', '' tableaux'' or "images", rather than ''atti'' (acts). composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giusep ...
''.
Later that year it was performed six more times, making a total of 161 performances.Dailey, Chapter 7 It was toured by
Carl Rosa Opera Company The Carl Rosa Opera Company was founded in 1873 by Carl Rosa, a German-born musical impresario, and his wife, British operatic soprano Euphrosyne Parepa-Rosa to present opera in English in London and the British provinces. The company premiered ...
in 1894–1895 but has rarely been performed since. The first complete, fully professional recording was released in 2010 on the Chandos Records label.


Background

After the days of
Michael William Balfe Michael William Balfe (15 May 1808 – 20 October 1870) was an Irish composer, best remembered for his operas, especially ''The Bohemian Girl''. After a short career as a violinist, Balfe pursued an operatic singing career, while he began to co ...
and his contemporaries, the fashion in London, led by the
Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
, was for opera houses to present mostly imported operas from Italy, France and Germany. English opera went into decline, and no through-composed operas were written in England after 1844 until 1874.Gordon-Powell, Robin. ''Ivanhoe'', full score, Introduction, vol. I, pp. VII to VIII, 2008, The Amber Ring After this, a few English composers wrote new operas in English, some with English themes, and the
Carl Rosa Opera Company The Carl Rosa Opera Company was founded in 1873 by Carl Rosa, a German-born musical impresario, and his wife, British operatic soprano Euphrosyne Parepa-Rosa to present opera in English in London and the British provinces. The company premiered ...
produced many of these in the late 1870s and 1880s.Lamb (1973), p. 475 Arthur Sullivan had long dreamed of writing a grand opera in what he called an "eclectic" style that would build on the existing European styles. In an 1885 interview, he said: :"The opera of the future is a compromise. I have thought and worked and toiled and dreamt of it. Not the French school, with gaudy and tinsel tunes, its lambent lights and shades, its theatrical effects and clap-trap; not the Wagnerian school, with its somberness and heavy ear-splitting airs, with its mysticism and unreal sentiment; not the Italian school, with its fantastic airs and fioriture and far-fetched effects. It is a compromise between these three – a sort of eclectic school, a selection of the merits of each one. I myself will make an attempt to produce a grand opera of this new school. ... Yes, it will be an historical work, and it is the dream of my life. I do not believe in opera based on gods and myths. That is the fault of the German school. It is metaphysical music – it is philosophy. What we want are plots that give rise to characters of flesh and blood, with human emotions and human passions. Music should speak to the heart, and not to the head. Such a work as I contemplate will take some time." During the late 1870s and through the 1880s,
Richard D'Oyly Carte Richard D'Oyly Carte (; 3 May 1844 – 3 April 1901) was an English talent agent, theatrical impresario, composer, and hotelier during the latter half of the Victorian era. He built two of London's theatres and a hotel empire, while also establi ...
had earned great success by producing the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. By the late 1880s, perhaps encouraged by the operas produced by Carl Rosa, Carte aspired to do for
grand opera Grand opera is a genre of 19th-century opera generally in four or five acts, characterized by large-scale casts and orchestras, and (in their original productions) lavish and spectacular design and stage effects, normally with plots based on o ...
what he had done for comic opera, with the assistance of Arthur Sullivan, who had long yearned to compose more serious works. In May 1888, Sullivan noted in his diary that, after a performance of his cantata ''
The Golden Legend The ''Golden Legend'' (Latin: ''Legenda aurea'' or ''Legenda sanctorum'') is a collection of hagiographies by Jacobus de Voragine that was widely read in late medieval Europe. More than a thousand manuscripts of the text have survived.Hilary ...
'' given at
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by command of
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...
, the queen said to him, "You ought to write a grand opera – you would do it so well!"Gordon-Powell, Robin. ''Ivanhoe'', full score, Introduction, vol. I, p. IX, 2008, The Amber Ring Carte began building the
Royal English Opera House The Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster in London. Its red- brick facade dominates the west side of Cambridge Circus behind a small plaza near the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road. The Pal ...
in December 1888, and he commissioned Sullivan to write the venture's inaugural work.
George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...
wondered, in August 1889, about the wisdom of building a new opera house when the three existing ones (
Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Ope ...
,
Her Majesty's Theatre Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Haymarket in the City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established t ...
and the
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dr ...
), were underutilised. During 1890, Carte contacted several composers, including
Frederick Cowen Sir Frederic Hymen Cowen (29 January 1852 – 6 October 1935), was an English composer, conductor and pianist. Early years and musical education Cowen was born Hymen Frederick Cohen at 90 Duke Street, Kingston, Jamaica, the fifth and last c ...
, asking them to compose operas to succeed ''Ivanhoe'' in the new house. Sullivan asked his usual collaborator
W. S. Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most fam ...
to supply the libretto for a grand opera, but Gilbert declined, writing that in grand opera the librettist's role is subordinate to that of the composer, and that the public would, in any case, not accept a serious work from his pen. Gilbert recommended
Julian Sturgis Julian Russell Sturgis (21 October 1848 – 13 April 1904) was a British-American novelist, poet, librettist and lyricist. Educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford, Sturgis distinguished himself in Eton's sporting activities and rowed ...
to write the libretto. Sturgis had written the libretto for ''Nadeshda'' by Arthur Goring Thomas (1885), which had been produced with success by Carl Rosa. ''Ivanhoe'' had been treated operatically previously, including an 1826 pastiche opera with music by Rossini and operas by Marschner in 1829, Pacini in 1832 and Nicolai in 1840. Both Sullivan and the critics noted that Scott's novel, with its many scenes, would make for a complex adaptation. Sturgis set to work on ''Ivanhoe'' in the spring or early summer of 1889. The libretto uses some of the language directly from the novel and does not change the basic story. However, in condensing the lengthy and action-packed novel for a stage work, the libretto relies on the audience's knowledge of the novel and omits many scenes, also entirely omitting the characters of Gurth the Swineherd, Oswald, Cedric's manservant, some of King John's advisors, and Athelstane the Unready, among others.
Richard Traubner Richard Traubner (November 24, 1946 – February 25, 2013) was an American journalist, author, operetta scholar and historian, and lecturer on theatre and (mostly musical) film. His best-known book, ''Operetta: A Theatrical History'', was first p ...
, writes in '' Opera News'', that "Sturgis's libretto, given his quotes from Scott and the quasi-medieval English, is still sketchy, and the complex story does not really move forward with any operatic satisfaction." While Sturgis worked on ''Ivanhoe'', Sullivan was composing ''
The Gondoliers ''The Gondoliers; or, The King of Barataria'' is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 7 December 1889 and ran for a very successful 554 performances (at that time the ...
'', with a libretto by Gilbert, for the
Savoy Theatre The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J. Phipps for Richard D'Oyly Carte and opened on 10 October 1881 on a site previously occupied by the Savoy P ...
. After ''The Gondoliers'' opened and Sullivan took his annual holiday in
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, he finally began the composition of ''Ivanhoe'' in May 1890, finishing the score in December 1890. Chorus rehearsals for ''Ivanhoe'' began in November, with
Alfred Cellier Alfred Cellier (1 December 184428 December 1891) was an English composer, orchestrator and conductor. In addition to conducting and music directing the original productions of several of the most famous Gilbert and Sullivan works and writing t ...
as chorus master, and his brother
François Cellier François Arsène Cellier (14 December 1849 – 5 January 1914), often called Frank, was an English conductor and composer. He is known for his tenure as musical director and conductor of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company during the original runs ...
, who became musical director of the new theatre.Gordon-Powell, Robin. ''Ivanhoe'', full score, Introduction, vol. I, p. X, 2008, The Amber Ring In April 1890, Gilbert had challenged Carte over partnership expenses at the Savoy Theatre, including a new carpet for the lobby. To Gilbert's surprise and indignation, Sullivan sided with Carte – after all, Carte was producing his opera – and Gilbert sued Carte and Sullivan in May. The lawsuit was ongoing during much of the period of composition of ''Ivanhoe'', and Sullivan wrote to Gilbert in September 1890 that he was "physically and mentally ill over this wretched business. I have not yet got over the shock of seeing our names coupled ... in hostile antagonism over a few miserable pounds".Lamb (1973), p. 477 Sullivan completed the score too late to meet Carte's planned production date, and costs mounted as the producer had to pay performers, crew and others, while the theatre sat empty. Sullivan was required to pay Carte a contractual penalty of £3,000 for his delay.


Production and aftermath

''Ivanhoe'' and The Royal English Opera House opened on 31 January 1891, with the Prince and Princess of Wales and other members of the royal family in attendance.Gordon-Powell, Robin. ''Ivanhoe'', full score, Introduction, vol. I, p. XI, 2008, The Amber Ring The production was lavish: An orchestra of 64 players, 72 choristers and 120 supernumeraries were employed. Percy Anderson designed the costumes,
Hawes Craven Henry Hawes Craven Green (3 July 1837 – 22 July 1910) was an English theatre scene-painter. He collaborated with Henry Irving, Richard D'Oyly Carte and Herbert Beerbohm Tree, producing stage sets of unprecedented realism. Craven's career la ...
and others designed the sets, staging was by Hugh Moss, and François Cellier and
Ernest Ford Albert Ernest Alsor Clair Ford (17 February 1858 – 2 June 1919) was an English composer of operas and ballet music and a conductor. Life and career Ford was born in Warminster, Wiltshire, England, the son of Edward Ford, the vestry clerk a ...
alternated as conductors. Ford also arranged the piano score for ''Ivanhoe''. In the opening night programme, Carte set forth his goals:
I am endeavouring to establish English Grand Opera at the New Theatre which I have built.... Whether he experimentwill succeed or not depends on whether there is a sufficient number of persons interested in music and the drama who will come forward and fill the theatre.... I have made arrangements with other distinguished composers and authors to write operas to follow ''Ivanhoe'', which operas will be produced if the enterprise is a pecuniary success. The intention is to 'run' each opera, that is to say, to play it six times a week, at any rate at first. This is the only way in which the expenditure necessary to secure a proper representation in the matter of scenery and costumes can be recouped.... It rests with he publicwhether a National Opera House shall be established on a permanent basis or not.
Thus, departing from the usual practice for grand opera to be presented in repertory, Carte presented ''Ivanhoe'' every night, with alternative singers being provided for the chief roles – not as separate 'first' and 'second' casts, but in different mixtures. One cast member who went on to a fine career was the young
tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is wide ...
, Joseph O'Mara, in the title role.
R. Scott Fishe Robert Scott Fishe (12 February 1871 – 31 August 1898) was an English operatic baritone and actor best remembered for creating roles in the 1890s with the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company. As a boy, Fishe was a chorister with the Chapel royal#Un ...
, a member of the chorus, later became a principal performer with the
D'Oyly Carte Opera Company The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company is a professional British light opera company that, from the 1870s until 1982, staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy operas nearly year-round in the UK and sometimes toured in Europe, North America and elsewhere. The ...
at the
Savoy Theatre The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J. Phipps for Richard D'Oyly Carte and opened on 10 October 1881 on a site previously occupied by the Savoy P ...
. No expense was spared to make the production a success, including "every imaginable effect of scenic splendour". The opera ran for an unprecedented 155 consecutive performancesTraubner, Richard
"Sullivan: ''Ivanhoe''"
''Opera News'', June 2010 – Vol. 74, No. 12
and had strong revenues at first. It received very favourable press, with a few reports expressing reservations about the libretto. Of more than a dozen opening night reviews, only Shaw's and Fuller Maitland's reviews were negative. ''Ivanhoe'' closed in July, when the opera house closed for the summer at the end of the opera season. When the house re-opened in November, after a delay, Carte produced
André Messager André Charles Prosper Messager (; 30 December 1853 – 24 February 1929) was a French composer, organist, pianist and conductor. His compositions include eight ballets and thirty opéra comique, opéras comiques, opérettes and other stage wo ...
's '' La Basoche'' (with
David Bispham David Scull Bispham (January 5, 1857 – October 2, 1921) was an American operatic baritone. Biography Bispham was born on January 5, 1857 in Philadelphia, the only child of William Danforth Bispham and Jane Lippincott Scull.W. Bispham, 274 Bo ...
in his first London stage performance) alternating in repertory with six more performances of ''Ivanhoe'' (which ran at a substantial loss this time), and then ''La Basoche'' alone, closing in January 1892. Though praised, ''La Basoche'' could not fill the large house, and losses were mounting. Carte had commissioned new operas from Cowen,
Herman Bemberg Herman Emanuel Bemberg Ocampo (29 March 1859 – 21 July 1931)Baker, Theodore; rev. by Nicolas Slonimsky (1978) ''Baker's Biographical dictionary of musicians – 6th ed.'' New York: Schirmer Books, 138. was a German-Argentine composer. Life He wa ...
,
Hamish MacCunn Hamish MacCunn, ''né'' James MacCunn (22 March 18682 August 1916) was a Scottish composer, conductor and teacher. He was one of the first students of the newly-founded Royal College of Music in London, and quickly made a mark. As a composer he ...
and Goring Thomas. Although Bemberg's opera ''Elaine'' was finished, and Cowen's ''Signa'' would be completed in March, Carte evidently had decided that producing these would be impracticable or too expensive and that he could not make a success of the new house. ''The Pall Mall Gazette'' wrote, "The question, then, uppermost is whether Londoners really want English opera at all.... Mr D'Oyly Carte is to be pitied, and it is hard to see how he can continue to throw his operatic pearls before those who do not value them. After all, the Englishman's opera-house is the music-hall." Notwithstanding ''Ivanhoe's'' initial success, the opera house was a failure, and later writers unfairly blamed ''Ivanhoe'' for this failure. It was, as critic
Herman Klein Herman Klein (born Hermann Klein; 23 July 1856 – 10 March 1934) was an English music critic, author and teacher of singing. Klein's famous brothers included Charles Klein, Charles and Manuel Klein. His second wife was the writer Kathleen Cla ...
observed, "the strangest comingling of success and failure ever chronicled in the history of British lyric enterprise!"Hermann Klein's 1903 description of ''Ivanhoe''
Sir
Henry Wood Sir Henry Joseph Wood (3 March 186919 August 1944) was an English conductor best known for his association with London's annual series of promenade concerts, known as the The Proms, Proms. He conducted them for nearly half a century, introd ...
, who had been répétiteur for the production of ''Ivanhoe'', recalled in his autobiography that " fCarte had had a repertory of six operas instead of only one, I believe he would have established English opera in London for all time. Towards the end of the run of Ivanhoe I was already preparing the ''
Flying Dutchman The ''Flying Dutchman'' ( nl, De Vliegende Hollander) is a legendary ghost ship, allegedly never able to make port, but doomed to sail the seven seas forever. The myth is likely to have originated from the 17th-century Golden Age of the Du ...
'' with
Eugène Oudin Eugène Espérance Oudin (24 February 1858 – 4 November 1894) was an American baritone, composer and translator of the Victorian era. Life and career Early years Oudin was one of six brothers born in New York City to French parents, Lucie ...
in the name part. He would have been superb. However, plans were altered and the Dutchman was shelved." After a season of performances by Sarah Bernhardt, Carte was forced to sell the theatre. A consortium led by Sir
Augustus Harris Sir Augustus Henry Glossop Harris (18 March 1852 – 22 June 1896) was a British actor, impresario, and dramatist, a dominant figure in the West End theatre, West End theatre of the 1880s and 1890s. Born into a theatrical family, Harris briefl ...
purchased the house, renaming it the Palace Music Hall and later the Palace Theatre of Varieties. The building is known today as the Palace Theatre.Lamb (1973), p. 478 There was a successful touring revival of ''Ivanhoe'' by the
Carl Rosa Opera Company The Carl Rosa Opera Company was founded in 1873 by Carl Rosa, a German-born musical impresario, and his wife, British operatic soprano Euphrosyne Parepa-Rosa to present opera in English in London and the British provinces. The company premiered ...
from December 1894 to June 1895 in a cut version (the opera originally ran almost four hours). The cast changed during the tour; at some performances the role of Maurice de Bracy was taken by W. H. Stephens, who had created the role of Locksley at the Royal English Opera House. Carl Rosa again toured the piece later in 1895, and at some performances (for example at the
Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool The Royal Court Theatre is a theatre located at 1 Roe Street in Liverpool, England. The current Royal Court Theatre was opened on 17 October 1938, after fire destroyed its predecessor. It was rebuilt in Art Deco style and soon became Liverpool's ...
, on 21 March 1896) Rebecca was sung by Esther Palliser, who had played Rowena (and later Rebecca) in London in 1891. A production in Berlin in November 1895 generated no further interest, but a concert performance was given at the
Crystal Palace Crystal Palace may refer to: Places Canada * Crystal Palace Complex (Dieppe), a former amusement park now a shopping complex in Dieppe, New Brunswick * Crystal Palace Barracks, London, Ontario * Crystal Palace (Montreal), an exhibition building ...
in 1903. Afterwards, apart from two performances in
Sir Thomas Beecham Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet, CH (29 April 18798 March 1961) was an English conductor and impresario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic orchestras. He was also closely associated with th ...
's 1910 season at the
Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Ope ...
, ''Ivanhoe'' disappeared from the professional repertory, except for a week of performances in New York City at the Park Theatre by The Society of American Singers in 1919. The opera was broadcast twice on
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in 1929, with the London Wireless Orchestra conducted by
Percy Pitt Percy Pitt (4 January 1869 – 23 November 1932) was an English organist, conductor, composer, and Director of Music of the BBC from 1924 to 1930. Biography A native of London, Pitt studied music in Europe at the Leipzig conservatory, t ...
, who had conducted the 1910 performances.
Stanford Robinson Stanford Robinson OBE (5 July 190425 October 1984) was an English conductor and composer, known for his work with the BBC. He remained a member of the BBC's staff until his retirement in 1966, founding or building up the organisation's choral g ...
conducted another broadcast between the wars. The few modern performances of the music have included a 1973 revival by Joseph Vandernoot and his Beaufort Opera, which was recorded and broadcast by the BBC, and a concert by the Boston Academy of Music on 23 November 1991.


Roles and original cast

Below are listed the roles in the opera. Alternative singers were provided for the chief roles – not as separate 'first' and 'second' casts, but in different mixtures: * Richard Coeur-de-Lion, King of England (''Disguised as the Black Knight'') ( bass) – Norman Salmond and Franklin Clive * Prince John ( baritone) – Richard Green and Wallace Brownlow * Sir Brian de Bois Guilbert (''Commander of the Knights Templar'') (baritone) –
Eugène Oudin Eugène Espérance Oudin (24 February 1858 – 4 November 1894) was an American baritone, composer and translator of the Victorian era. Life and career Early years Oudin was one of six brothers born in New York City to French parents, Lucie ...
, François Noije and Richard Green * Maurice de Bracy –
Charles Kenningham Charles Kenningham (18 November 1860 – 24 October 1925) was an English opera singer and actor best remembered for his roles in the 1890s with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. After singing as a boy soprano, Kenningham briefly served in the 5t ...
(
tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is wide ...
) (all performances) * Lucas de Beaumanoir (''Grand Master of the Templars'') ( bass-baritone) – Adams Owen (all performances) * Cedric the Saxon (''Thane of Rotherwood'') (bass-baritone) – David Ffrangcon-Davies and W. H. Burgon * Wilfred, Knight of Ivanhoe (''His son, disguised as a Palmer'') (tenor) – Ben Davies and Joseph O'Mara *
Friar Tuck Friar Tuck is one of the legendary Merry Men, the band of heroic outlaws in the folklore of Robin Hood. History The figure of the jovial friar was common in the May Games festivals of England and Scotland during the 15th through 17th centur ...
Avon Saxon Avon Dawson Saxon (c. 1857 – 24 March 1909) was a Canadian operatic and concert singer who created the role of Friar Tuck in the romantic opera ''Ivanhoe'' (1891) by Arthur Sullivan and Julian Sturgis and Francal in '' Mirette'' by André M ...
(bass-baritone) (all performances) * Isaac of York – Charles Copland (bass) (all performances) * Locksley – W. H. Stephens (tenor) (all performances) * The Squire – Frederick Bovill (tenor) (all performances) * Wamba, Jester to Cedric – Mr. Cowis (non-singing role) (all performances) * The Lady Rowena (''Ward of Cedric'') ( soprano) – Esther Palliser and Lucille Hill * Ulrica – Marie Groebl ( mezzo-soprano) (all performances) * Rebecca (''Daughter of Isaac of York'') (soprano) – Margaret Macintyre and Charlotte Thudichum


Synopsis

In 1891, the audience knew Scott's best-selling novel intimately. Sullivan and Sturgis relied on this fact, and so the opera intentionally dramatises disconnected scenes from the book and does not attempt to retell the whole story. This presents a challenge to modern audiences who may be far less familiar with the story.


Act 1

Scene 1: ''The Hall of Cedric of Rotherwood. Evening.'' As Cedric's men prepare supper, he laments the King's many journeys abroad, the scurrilous behaviour of the Norman knights, and the absence of his estranged son, Ivanhoe. Isaac of York, a Jew, enters and asks for shelter. Although Cedric considers Jews to be accursed, he offers Isaac hospitality according to the Saxon tradition. A squire announces Sir Brian de Bois Guilbert, of the Knights Templar, and Maurice de Bracy, a knight and advisor to Prince John, who are on their way to a Royal tournament at Ashby de la Zouche. They are Normans, and Cedric, a Saxon, loathes them. However, they too are granted hospitality. Ivanhoe is with them, in disguise. De Bracy asks after Cedric's fair ward, Rowena. Cedric replies hotly that his ward will only marry a Saxon. Ivanhoe tells of a tournament he witnessed in the Holy Land where the English knights soundly defeated the Templars. Sir Brian was beaten by Ivanhoe, whom he wishes to challenge again. Rowena and the disguised Ivanhoe, whom no one recognises, assure Sir Brian that Ivanhoe will meet his challenge. After Rowena exits, Sir Brian and de Bracy agree that they will abduct her after the tournament at Ashby. Scene 2: ''An Ante-Chamber in the Hall at Rotherwood'' Rowena laments the absence of her lover, Ivanhoe. He enters, still disguised as a holy palmer. She tells him that she hopes to be with Ivanhoe again. Ivanhoe tells Isaac that he has overheard Sir Brian planning to seize him the next day. Isaac promises to equip Ivanhoe (whom he recognises as a knight) with a horse and armour, and Ivanhoe in turn promises that, if they fly Cedric's hall directly, Isaac will be safe with him. They leave for the tournament at Ashby. Scene 3: ''The Tournament at Ashby'' At the tournament, King Richard, disguised as the Black Knight, has made a great impression with his victories. Prince John enters with Rowena, who has been named Queen of Beauty for the tournament. The Prince shrugs off a message that his brother, the King, has escaped from France. The Prince asks for challengers to the Norman knights. Ivanhoe, now in disguise as the Disinherited Knight, challenges Sir Brian. In a fierce clash, Ivanhoe again defeats Sir Brian, but is himself wounded. Ignoring Ivanhoe's protest, a Herald removes his helmet at Prince John's command so that he may be crowned victor of the tournament, and he is recognised by Cedric and Rowena.


Act 2

Scene 1: ''Friar Tuck's Hut, in the Forest at Copmanhurst'' King Richard, who is in hiding after his escape, shares a feast with Friar Tuck and challenges him to a song contest. The King sings "I ask nor wealth nor courtier's praise", while the Friar sings "Ho, jolly Jenkin" (which is the most popular detached excerpt from the opera). Locksley (Robin Hood) enters with the urgent message that Cedric and Rowena have been captured by de Bracy and Sir Brian, and the wounded Ivanhoe, travelling with Isaac and his beautiful daughter Rebecca, have also been captured. All are imprisoned at Torquilstone. The King, Locksley, Friar Tuck and all the outlaws rush off to rescue them. Scene 2: ''A Passageway in Torquilstone'' Cedric and Rowena are prisoners, and De Bracy plans to forcibly marry her. De Bracy tells them that Ivanhoe, Isaac and Rebecca, are also prisoners. He promises that Ivanhoe will be safe if Rowena and Cedric comply with his wishes. Cedric is prepared to sacrifice Ivanhoe, but Rowena begs him to be merciful to them, as well as to Ivanhoe. She appeals to his honour, as a Knight and, begging him to save Ivanhoe, she promises to pray for de Bracy. After they have left, Sir Brian enters, and declares passionately his intention to woo, and win, Rebecca. Scene 3: ''A Turret Chamber in Torquilstone'' Ulrica warns Rebecca that she faces an evil and dark fate, and that death is the only path to safety. The despondent Rebecca prays for God's protection. Sir Brian enters, intent on winning Rebecca. He asks her to submit to him, promising to raise her to the throne of kings and to cover her with jewels. She utterly rejects him and leaps on the parapet, threatening to jump. A bugle sounds, heralding the arrival of King Richard and his forces. Sir Brian rushes off to defend the castle.


Act 3

Scene 1: ''A Room in Torquilstone'' Ivanhoe, pale and weak from his wounds, thinks of his love for Rowena, and falls asleep. Rebecca, who is in love with Ivanhoe, enters to tend him. When they hear distant trumpets, Rebecca goes to a window and describes the unfolding battle to the frustrated Ivanhoe, who complains that he is unable to participate. Ulrica sets the castle on fire. Sir Brian enters and carries off Rebecca. Ivanhoe is unable to protect her. At the last minute, King Richard enters the chamber and rescues Ivanhoe from the conflagration. Scene 2: ''In the Forest'' King Richard and Ivanhoe rest in a forest. De Bracy has been captured. The King sends him to Prince John with an ultimatum to surrender. Cedric and Rowena appear. At the King's urging, Cedric is reconciled with Ivanhoe and agrees to Ivanhoe's marriage with Rowena. Isaac enters in haste. The Templars have accused Rebecca of witchcraft for supposedly bewitching the Christian Knight to betray his Order and his vows, and making him fall in love with an accursed Jewess. They have sentenced her to burn at the stake. Ivanhoe rushes out to rescue her. Scene 3: ''The Preceptory of the Templars, Templestowe'' The funeral pyre has been built. Rebecca will be burned at the stake unless a champion is willing to fight for her. Sir Brian urges them to relent, but the Templars take his irrational passion as further evidence of her witchcraft. Sir Brian offers to save her if she will agree to be his, but Rebecca refuses. Rebecca is bound to the stake. The exhausted Ivanhoe arrives with his sword drawn, offering to fight for her. Rebecca tries to dissuade him, fearing that the wounded knight cannot prevail. Sir Brian attacks Ivanhoe, who appears to be beaten. But as Sir Brian is about to strike the fatal blow, he falls dead, unable to survive the evil passions warring in his soul. The Templars regard this as proof of God's judgement and Rebecca's innocence, and she is freed. She gazes wistfully at Ivanhoe as he is reunited with Rowena, who has entered with Cedric and King Richard. The King banishes the Templars from English soil.


Music

''
The Gramophone ''Gramophone'' is a magazine published monthly in London, devoted to classical music, particularly to reviews of recordings. It was founded in 1923 by the Scottish author Compton Mackenzie who continued to edit the magazine until 1961. It was ...
'' calls ''Ivanhoe'' "one of the most important works in the history of British opera".O’Connor, Patrick. "The serious comedian", ''The Gramophone'', February 2010, pp. 42–45 ''The Gramophone'' quoted conductor David Lloyd-Jones as saying that in writing the opera,
"Sullivan ... was very much in touch with all the music of his time.... There are bits which are definitely Wagnerian: the use of dotted rhythms, always in 4/4 time – you get the whiff of ''
Meistersinger A (German for "master singer") was a member of a German guild for lyric poetry, composition and unaccompanied art song of the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. The Meistersingers were drawn from middle class males for the most part. Guilds The ' ...
'' or ''
Lohengrin Lohengrin () is a character in German Arthurian literature. The son of Parzival (Percival), he is a knight of the Holy Grail sent in a boat pulled by swans to rescue a maiden who can never ask his identity. His story, which first appears in Wolf ...
'', I think. There is, also, for example, a remarkable duet at the end of act 2, I would say
Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...
an in its sweep. There are, of course, the stand-up arias, never a full ensemble until right at the end. Rebecca's aria is a very interesting piece. Whenever she is singing he uses the cor anglais to stress the sort of Eastern quality, and Sullivan claimed that this theme was one he had heard as a student in Leipzig, when he had attended a service at the Synagogue there. You can tell, and he quickly establishes it in the music, that he was not writing an operetta! Look at this, very early on, some virtuoso stuff. It needs a really accomplished orchestra. He had always been cramped by the small orchestra, only ever one oboe, that he had to make do with at the Savoy. Here he was really able to expand, you can feel it in the music."
Richard Traubner, writing in ''Opera News'', disagrees: "''Ivanhoe'' ... reflects the ballad-rich British grand operas Sullivan grew up with, by Balfe (''
The Bohemian Girl ''The Bohemian Girl'' is an Irish Romantic opera composed by Michael William Balfe with a libretto by Alfred Bunn. The plot is loosely based on a Miguel de Cervantes' tale, ''La Gitanilla''. The best-known aria from the piece is " I Dreamt I Dwe ...
'') or Wallace (''
Maritana ''Maritana'' is a three-act opera including both spoken dialogue and some recitatives, composed by William Vincent Wallace, with a libretto by Edward Fitzball (1792–1873). The opera is based on the 1844 French play ''Don César de Bazan'' by ...
''). The skill and flair Sullivan exhibits in the Savoy operettas in humor, gaiety and superb word-setting are barely required in ''Ivanhoe''. It sounds instead like an extension of the hoary oratorio form popular in Victorian Britain ... with its plethora of hymn-like numbers interspersed with ballads of no particular interest and some strong ensembles." Traubner continues, "Sullivan's score would have been wonderful for a film, with its numerous Korngoldian fanfares and stirring, very English-national choruses. The long drinking scene in act 1, with its 'Glory to those who fight for the true Cross', and the 'Ho, Jolly Jenkin' ensemble with Friar Tuck, also referring to drinking, are the most exciting things in the opera. Sadly, the dramatic arias required for an opera to achieve universal popularity are largely absent. ... Rebecca's prayer does have a certain Near Eastern aroma".


Recordings and books

There have been few recordings of the opera. The 1973 revival by Beaufort Opera production was recorded and broadcast on 29 November 1973 by BBC Radio London. A 1989 recording was made by The Prince Consort. A 1995-hour-long "compressed version" was recorded and presented by Roderic Dunnett (the ''Opera Now'' magazine reviewer) for his BBC Radio 3 ''Britannia at the Opera'' series.Walker, Raymond J
Review: ''Sir Arthur Sullivan's Grand Opera ''Ivanhoe'' and its Theatrical and Musical Precursors''
by Jeff S. Dailey, MusicWebInternational, 8 September 2008
Beyond that, a 1998 CD, ''Sullivan & Co.: The Operas That Got Away'' features two songs from the opera, and two of the soprano arias were recorded by Deborah Riedel with Richard Bonynge and the Opera Australia orchestra on ''The Power of Love – British Opera Arias'' (1999, Melba MR 30110). The first complete, fully professional recording of ''Ivanhoe'' was released in February 2010, with David Lloyd-Jones conducting the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, on the Chandos Records label. The cast features Toby Spence, Neal Davies, Geraldine McGreevy and Janice Watson. The BBC's review of the album concludes, "This new account, boasting a strong cast of top British singers, is thoroughly committed, with vibrant playing from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under the steady hand of David Lloyd-Jones. There are a few passages where inspiration seems to flag – either from composer or conductor – but in general this is a terrific achievement. From the lively pomp of the jousting scene, with its brilliant double chorus, to moments of exquisite tenderness and passion, to thrilling battles and powerful drama, this recording makes a compelling case for a monumental work that deserves a modern audience." The album charted at #5 on the Specialist Classical Chart for the week ending 6 February 2010 Andrew Lamb wrote in ''
The Gramophone ''Gramophone'' is a magazine published monthly in London, devoted to classical music, particularly to reviews of recordings. It was founded in 1923 by the Scottish author Compton Mackenzie who continued to edit the magazine until 1961. It was ...
'' that the success of the recording is due to Lloyd-Jones's "dramatic pacing", that the three key roles of Ivanhoe, Rebecca and Sir Brian are well cast. Raymond Walker agreed: "David Lloyd-Jones must be congratulated for the energetic pace he sets, never rushed but always advancing in a purposeful way." He also praised the singers and chorus. Richard Traubner was a dissenting voice. Though he praised the singers, he felt that many of the tempi were too rushed. In 2007, the Sir Arthur Sullivan Society published a booklet containing information about the opera including original articles, contemporary reviews and news articles. In 2008, a book was published about ''Ivanhoe'' and its 19th-century "precursors" by Jeff S. Dailey, based on his 2002 doctoral dissertation for
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
. Dailey offers explanations of why Scott's novels, ''Ivanhoe'' in particular, were frequently adapted. He discusses the text and music of the opera. In the chapter on criticism of the opera (Chapter 9), he notes that ''Ivanhoe'' received generally favourable reviews early on, except from
George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...
, but that later critics, some of whom probably never saw the work, tended to be dismissive. In 2008, Robin Gordon-Powell edited a full score and orchestral parts for the opera, published by The Amber Ring. Since the original performance materials were destroyed in the 1964 fire at the Chappell & Co. warehouse, an authentic score and parts had not been available. This score was used by Chandos in the 2010 recording.Ivanhoe score, ed. Gordon-Powell, Robin
Full Score, 2008 The Amber Ring


References


Notes


Sources

*Dailey, Jeff S. ''Sir Arthur Sullivan's Grand Opera ''Ivanhoe'' and Its Musical Precursors: Adaptations of Sir Walter Scott's Novel for the Stage, 1819–1891'' (2008) Edwin Mellen Press *Jacobs, Arthur. ''Arthur Sullivan: A Victorian Musician'', 2nd ed. Aldershot: Scolar Press, 1992. *Lamb, Andrew. "Arthur Sullivan". ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', ed. Stanley Sadie, London: Macmillan, 1980. *Lamb, Andrew.
"Ivanhoe and the Royal English Opera"
''The Musical Times'', Vol. 114, No. 1563, May 1973, pp. 475–78 Further reading *Eden, David, ed. ''Sullivan's Ivanhoe''. Sir Arthur Sullivan Society, 2007. *Eden, David. "Ivanhoe Explained". ''Sir Arthur Sullivan Society Magazine'', No. 61, Winter 2005. *Eden, David. "Development of Broadcast Opera". ''Sir Arthur Sullivan Society Magazine'', No. 62, Summer 2006. *Eden, David. "A Note on ''Ivanhoe''". ''Sir Arthur Sullivan Society Magazine'', No. 64, Summer 2007. *Eden, David. "The Broadcast of Ivanhoe". ''Sir Arthur Sullivan Society Magazine'', No. 67, Spring 2008. *Eden, David. "Ivanhoe on Tour 1895". ''Sir Arthur Sullivan Society Magazine'', No. 68, Summer 2008. *Lamb, Andrew. "Arthur Sullivan". ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', ed. Stanley Sadie, London: Macmillan, 1980. *Taylor, Benedict. "Sullivan, Scott, and ''Ivanhoe'': Constructing Historical Time and National Identity in Victorian Opera". ''Nineteenth-Century Music Review'', Vol. 9 No. 2, December 2012, 295-321. * *Young, Percy. Sir Arthur Sullivan. London: J M Dent & Sons, 1971.


External links

*




Extensive information and analysis of ''Ivanhoe''
by librarian Chris Goddard
Vocal score


{{Authority control Operas by Arthur Sullivan English-language operas Operas 1891 operas Operas set in England Operas based on novels Works based on Ivanhoe Operas based on works by Walter Scott