Item #26766 His Excellency. An Entirely Original Comic Opera in Two Acts. Written by W.S. Gilbert ... Price One Shilling. [Libretto]. Frank Osmond CARR.

His Excellency. An Entirely Original Comic Opera in Two Acts. Written by W.S. Gilbert ... Price One Shilling. [Libretto]

London: Chappell & Co., 1894.

Octavo. Original publisher's light green printed wrappers. [1] (title), [2] (named cast list), [3]-60 pp.

Publisher's catalog of works by Gilbert and Sullivan, and Gilbert and Carr, to wrappers.

Wrappers browned at margins with slight loss to lower margin of upper; several small tears to spine; edges quite foxed. Occasional light foxing and wear.

First Edition. Searle 92. OCLC no. 223175895.

His Excellency was first performed at the Lyric Theatre in London on October 27, 1894, under the management of George Edwardes.

"Carr wrote the music for some of the earliest musical comedies. In 1894, Edwardes engaged Carr to write the music for His Excellency, a comic opera with a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. This was a moderate success and enjoyed international productions." The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.

Sir William S. Gilbert (1836-1911) is best remembered for his collaborations with composer Arthur Sullivan. "Critics compared the textual and musical unity of these comic operas to Wagner’s; in them Gilbert perfected themes, characters, plot devices and paradoxes initiated in his earlier or concurrent works. His librettos parody melodrama while satirizing both human nature and such contemporary topics as aestheticism (Patience), women’s education (Princess Ida) and the profit motive (Ruddigore) ... Gilbert also directed his own plays." Jane W. Stedman in Grove Music Online.

Item #26766

Price: $250.00  other currencies

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