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Ivanhoe

Ivanhoe: A Romantic Opera

Ivanhoe: a Romantic Opera adapted from Sir Walter Scott's novel by Julian Sturgis, music by Arthur Sullivan, was first produced at the new Royal English Opera House, Cambridge Circus, London, on 31st January 1891.

The score bears the following dedication:

There is a story that Queen Victoria spoke the words:

"You should write a grand opera, Sir Arthur, you would do it so well"

If she did, it's possible it was on the occasion of the D'Oyly Carte Company's Royal Command Performance of The Gondoliers at Windsor Castle in 1889. Whenever it happened, Sullivan took her words to heart and composed Ivanhoe at the first performance of which the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) was present.

At the time, Sullivan was Britain's best-known composer. Like his continental contemporaries, he was attempting to found a national school of opera in his composition. The Royal English Opera House was specially built for it and no expense was spared in the construction. In a daring move, Ivanhoe was played as a "run" and achieve 160 consecutive performances with a double cast. A thing never before (or since?) attempted with a "serious"opera.

The Carl Rosa Opera Company took the opera on tour in 1895. It received one performance in the Crystal Palace in 1903 and was given two further performances at Covent Garden in 1910. After that there were no public performances in Britain until 1973, when it was revived in an amateur production in London.

This was written in 1977 as part of my Bachelor of Music degree at Royal Holloway College, University of London.

© Chris Goddard, 27 November, 2004