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Comic opera composed by Robert Planquette with libretto by H. B. Farnie
1884 press drawing of Nell Gwynne
Nell Gwynne is a three-act
comic opera composed by
Robert Planquette , with a libretto by
H. B. Farnie . The libretto is based on the play Rochester by
William Thomas Moncrieff . The piece was a rare instance of an opera by a French composer being produced first in London. Farnie had written an earlier libretto on the same subject, with the same name, for composer
Alfred Cellier , which was produced at the
Prince's Theatre in Manchester in 1876.
[1]
The opera was first performed at the
Avenue Theatre in London on 7 February 1884. It then transferred to the
Comedy Theatre on 28 April 1884. The production starred
Florence St. John ,
Arthur Roberts ,
Giulia Warwick and
Lionel Brough . In America, it was first produced in June 1884 in
St. Louis
[2] and in
New York City at the
Casino Theatre beginning on 8 November 1884.
[3]
It was later produced in Paris as La Princesse Colombine , with a libretto by E. André Ordonneau, at the
Théâtre des Nouveautés , beginning on 7 December 1886, but it was not a success in France.
Roles and original cast
Poster from the
Royal Lyceum Theatre , Edinburgh, 1888
Nell Gwynne (of the King's Theatre ) –
Florence St. John
Lady Clare (ward of the King ) – Agnes Stone
Jessamine (niece of Weasel ) –
Giulia Warwick
Marjorie (parish waif – servant to Weasel ) – Victoria Reynolds
Buckingham (in disgrace at Court – Landlord at the Dragon ) – M. Dwyer
Rochester (in disgrace at Court – Waiter at the Dragon ) – A. Cadwalader
The Beadle (the local authority ) –
Lionel Brough
Weasel (village pawnbroker ) –
Arthur Roberts
Talbot (cousin to Clare ) – Cecil Crofton
Falcon (a strolling player ) – Henry Walsham
Hodge and Podge (villagers ) – Messrs. D. St. John and Hunt
Peregrine (Buckingham's footboy ) – Agnes Lyndon
King Charles II , villagers, farmers, courtiers, waiters, etc.
Musical numbers
1. (a) Chorus — "No Heel-Taps"
(b) Scene — "He Brings our Score"
(c) "To you Ladies" (Buckingham and Chorus)
2. "The British Waiter" (Rochester and Buckingham)
3. "Only an Orange Girl " (Nell)
4. "O Heart! My Lover's Near!" (Jessamine, Rochester, Buckingham and Weasel)
5. "Once upon a Time" (Buckingham)
6. "O'er their Young Hearts " (Nell, Clare, Rochester and Buckingham)
7. Chorus — "Clubs and Cudgels"
8. "Tis I!" (Beadle and Chorus)
9. "Sweetheart, if Thou be Nigh!" (Falcon)
10. Finale, Act I: "O Surprise!" (Company)
Entr'acte
11. Pawn Chorus — "About the Middle of the Week"
12. Rustic Rondo (Nell)
13. "Tic, Tac" (Jessamine)
14. "Maid of the Witching Eye" (Nell and Clare)
15. "Now the Spell" (Nell, Jessamine, Clare, Rochester, Buckingham and Weasel)
16. "First Love" (Nell)
17. "The Dappled Fawn " (Jessamine and Falcon)
18. "Illusions!" (Buckingham)
19. "Turn About" (Buckingham and Rochester)
20. Finale, Act II: '"What's Passing Here" (Company)
Entr'acte
21. Hunting Chorus — "The Eager Hounds"
22. "The Broken Cavalier" (The Legend of Chelsea Hospital) (Nell)
23. "The Trysting Tree" (Falcon)
24.(a) "The Ball at Whitehall" (Nell)
(b) "Green Sleeves" (Nell)
25. "Happy the Lot" (Weasel and Beadle)
26. "The Rendez-vous" (Nell, Clare, Rochester and Buckingham)
27. "Timid Bird" (Jessamine and Falcon)
28. Finale, Act III (Company)
References
External links