r-Opera in English-Dr. Richter and English singers-Mr. Thomas Beecham and opera in English-Alfred Bunn and his efforts-"Bohemian Girl"-Louisa Pyne and William Harrison-The Pyne fa

ifficulties attached to opera in English-State aid-Is it to be expected?-Musical com

ick to perceive the possibilities it opened out to the imaginative musician, and it was not long before he was testing his powers in the new field of labour. Unhappily, however, his life was too short to permit him to make any effective appeal on its behalf to the English people, and

o evidently made little impression on the common people. It is not difficult to suggest a cause for the hostility with which it was early regarded. Opera came, first, prominently into notice in the reign of Charles II., and as he was a gr

sufficient to determine the people to get rid of the Stuart dynasty at any price, there is nothing surprising in the comparatively unimportant fact, that they became prejudiced against

"right thing" to support it, success was assured. It is not an excess of language to say the conditions that obtain to-day are not far removed from those of the ti

Handel challenged Italian supremacy, by taking a theatre, and establishing a rival enterprise; "Italian" opera of his own composition being

s the most brilliant period of its ascendancy began with the managements of Smith, Gye and Mapleson. The wealth of great singers these three had at their command, is a matt

they had at their call. A few of the names will be sufficient to give a fairly adequat

r Augustus Harris. His achievements, being so recent, will be well within public recollection, but it is worthy to recall the

sented; the French school having become more prominent, and above all, the mighty influence

rectorate which now rules the fortunes of the historic house, perhaps the most memorable of its many claims to gratitude has been the manner in which Wagner's immortal work, "Der Ring des Nibelungen," has been given, under the dir

e true lovers of Wagner, many thousands who had, otherwise, remained outside. Taking any single season as a characteristic one, it may

acter, is not claimed for it, but what it does set out to

ication, is the frequent appearance of English-speaking singers and their pro

commencing to narrate, as briefly as possible, the salient features of its history, I should like to refer to two events which demand reco

exponents,[28] he not only gave effect to the belief that was in him, of their capabilities, but he gave one more

han most great workers, he entered upon the task with no view to gain for himself or his prestige-that was impossible-but, apparently, with an idea of paying what he may have thought a debt, to the country with which he

fine performances of the extremely intricate works of Richard Strauss, deserve grateful recognition, and it is a m

gh satisfactory in itself, only gives food to the thought that there are not, as yet, unfortunately, sufficient lovers o

f English opera, or, at least, give the English people a chance to acquire an intelligent app

ble extent, any abiding success, was Alfred Bunn, who was born towards the cl

ndard of Percy Bysshe Shelley, he had sufficient literary ability to write the libretto for Balfe's "Bohemian Girl," and thus furnish that composer with the means of producing a work, w

tified in expecting sympathetic encourageme

no trac

areer appears to have been spent in an atmosphere of turmoil. He was sarcastically dubbed "the poet Bunn," and, although a man of resource, as twenty-five years of theatrical

was instrumental in bringing into existence the two most popular operas ever

ration of British composers to further the cause-that is to say, the founding of an original school of English opera. Everything seemed to augur well for the enterprise. Both were distinguished singers, with large operatic experience. Miss Pyne had

ician himself, and lifelong friend of Samuel Sebastian Wesley, for many years organist of Bath Abbey, was the father of two musicians; the elder, Dr. Kendrick Pyne, the distinguished organi

arted most successfully, and soon established a rep

ced, were Balfe's "Rose of Castille"; Vincent Wall

rried out, but unfortunately, the financial position became increasingly difficult as the enterprise pro

, and, as Madame Bodda-Pyne, by which name she became known through

ceipt of a Civil List pension, as a recognition

never saw the light. The most popular of them was "Robin Hood," which appeared in 1860. It was one of the best examples of ballad-opera ever written. At this period, our national composers would seem to have directed all their thought and energies t

any years after, by the works of Sir Alex

ook of the dimensions such as this, to describe them all. One need only say that the sincerity attached to many of them, has deserved a better fate than

sociated with the triumphs of Madame Moody, and the "J. W. Turner" company, are all car

ies on the work of education after its own

fundamentally vital influences that have

ed the point of founding an English school of o

, after a prolonged visit to America, where he married

tion of a company of English singers, with a view t

nd, on whose aid he had so greatly counted, and whose enthusiasm fo

leading performers. The fact of the season lasting two months, was evidently sufficient to convince him that he had good reaso

his venture prove successful, to invite British composers to write works for him, and thus make his enterprise a thing o

d of devoted and enthusiastic artists, many

tty and William Ludwig, in addition to the two distinguished singers already mentioned, were among them, and supply more than suff

Dutchman," could ever forget the experience. Carl Rosa, then, gave British composers their chance, under circumstances that could hardly

nt of labour, skill and enthusiasm thrown away. T

that attaches to those that have attained to world-wide affec

use. Try as one may, to evade a decision on the point, it seems inevitable to admit, that t

he reader an illustration of the idea intended to be conveyed, and I wil

deplored by a large circle of friends and still greater number of

other night" failure, but, by its charm, it so fascinated opera-goers, that for a few years it beca

k for its failure to retai

or long in France and had become so saturated with her school of music, that every bar he wrote proclaimed the fact; but while master of the exterior mode

, and quite delightful at the first hearing, but of

he grateful memory o

he most extraordinary as well as the most disastrous, was that of the late Mr. D'

tuous home for it, but to encourage its cultivation and development and, by commissioning di

atures that were more surprising than convincing. If the design had been to discard, obtrusively, all precedent,

s writing his first grand opera; the artistes chosen for its performance were all with one or two exceptions, without any previous experienc

ea was most assuredly new, was to start such a scheme with

fficult to know what would be. At any rate, t

l comic operas, but of his splendid work in other and more serious directions, stimulate

onal weight by being signed by the writers, and even leading articles in the foremost journals of the country, lending encouragement to the enterprise, went to mark the s

husiastic as its admirers would have wished. Time, however, has justified the critics. By the people it was accepted whole-heartedly, as may be judged by the fact that its run extended to 168 consecutive performances. It is true that during the last two months, fi

dramatic power, while they were delighted, and perhaps surprised, by the f

ur of the production was a tribute, well

name of the late Eugène Oudin, stands out pre-eminently. His rendering of

t Macintyre, Miss Esther Palliser, Miss Lucille Hill, Mr

single relief to the constant succession of performances of "Ivanhoe" was in course of preparation. This state of things continued until the end was reached and the opera house closed. It was re-opened some months later, for the production of the "Basoche," an opera by the distinguished French composer, André Messager. This work, delightful as it is, failed to attract people in sufficient numbers to ma

ith any chance of permanence pertaining to it, seems hopeless of accomplishment without State ai

lves absolutely lacking. The tendency, at the present day, is in the direction of raising the status of the labourer, socially and in the matter of education, rather than in the cause of art, which, after all, mainly appeals to people

to state a much stronger ca

usical comedies" or "comic operas," or whatever

etimes of magnificence, but they attract people by the thousan

ovide what the public want and are willing to pay for. In form,

and is, unquestionably, a tribute to the sound judgment of those who control them. It is an interesting fact that within quite recent years, there has been a marked tendency to bring continental successes to London, and the music they have contained has of

similar, pieces, simultaneously, in the West End of London, each of which must fill the house night a

half of grand opera, which it would be difficult to prove that the general public, apart from the comparatively few enthusiasts, have any

nt day being regarded in its true light. The illustration may appear, at first sight, to be somewhat strained, but I venture to think it is not, judging by notices one reads in the papers, in which Mendelssohn's violin concerto is written of as, "a hackneyed medium of expression"; Gounod's "Faust" as full of "sickly sentimentality," or Bizet's "Carmen" as a work of "essent

on in this direction, the first thing they would probably do,

icuous. In this case, it may be taken for granted that unanimity will not be the chief characteristic of their utterances. For instance, I cannot bring myself to think of Mr. Jo

teems with

ngers of the country it represents, or those competent to sing adequately in it. Again, some urge that there should be occasional performances of such simple works as Balfe's "Bohemian Girl," which the least musically

ws on the subject held by authoritative opinion, I

experiment that Mr. Hammerstein is now makin

t time. It would be well-nigh impossible for Mr. Hammerstein to give his performances in English at an earlier date than six months from now. There is no lack of English

d commentary on the result of efforts made on behalf of operatic edu

force in English musical life, as oratorio has be

of British race; the choice of works sufficiently eclectic to appeal to all classes, and the prices of admission to the

be in London, but an "operatic season" should be ar

elf, but I believe that a solution of the que

uch as are in constant evidence to-day. In this respect it could not compete either with such an institution as the Royal Opera

on a higher level of all-round excellence than any that have been seen in recent years.[30] Under s

racted, and that object would, naturally, be the main thought of the

and courageous of the impresario in making such a venture with reduced prices of admission to the performances, of no national significance whatever. The experiment will, doubtless, prove whether a sufficiently numerous body of opera

o are interested in the music of their coun

d, it is clear that there i

cumstances were favourable, the old-time love of it, or such forms o

anting, is the h

at the outlook, from the nationa

ely to be expected that he should devote his genius and energies to the composition

e equivalent to the labour expended,

ieve that an interest would be aroused in the country sufficient to guarantee immediate success, and settle, once and for all, the question whether, given fair conditions, the English people were in

TNO

nductors retired, he directed a performa

e, February

rformances as those given by Dr. Richter or Mr. Thomas