DEKOVEN, REGINALD.

Robin Hood.

[Comic opera, in three acts; text by Harry B. Smith. First produced in Chicago, June 9, 1890.]

PERSONAGES.

Robert of Huntington, afterward Robin Hood.

Sheriff of Nottingham.

Sir Guy of Gisborne, his ward.

Little John, Will Scarlet, Friar Tuck, Allan a Dale, } outlaws.

Lady Marian Fitzwalker, afterwards Maid Marian.

Dame Durden, a widow.

Annabel, her daughter.

[Villagers, milkmaids, outlaws, King’s foresters, archers, pedlers, etc.]

The scene is laid in England; time of Richard the First.

The first act of “Robin Hood” opens in the market-place of Nottingham, where the villagers are holding a fair and at the same time celebrating May Day with a blithe chorus, for Robin Hood’s name is often associated with that day. The three outlaws Allan a Dale, Little John, and Will Scarlet, enter, and sing most lustily the praises of their free life in Sherwood Forest, the villagers joining in chorus. The tantara changes to a graceful and yet hilarious dance chorus, “A [58] Morris Dance must you entrance,” sung fortissimo. The second number is a characteristic and lively song by Friar Tuck, in which he offers at auction venison, ale, and homespun, followed by No. 3, a humorous pastoral, the milkmaid’s song with chorus, “When Chanticleer crowing.” This leads up to the entrance of Robin Hood in a spirited chorus, “Come the Bowmen in Lincoln Green,” in which the free life of the forest is still further extolled. Another and still more spirited scene introduces Maid Marian, which is followed by an expressive and graceful duet for Maid Marian and Robin Hood, “Though it was within this Hour we met,” closing in waltz time. This is followed by the Sheriff’s buffo song with chorus, “I am the Merry Sheriff of Nottingham,” and this in turn by a trio introduced by the Sheriff, “When a Peer makes Love to a Damsel Fair,” which, after the entrance of Sir Guy and his luckless wooing, closes in a gay waltz movement, “Sweetheart, my own Sweetheart.” In the finale Robin Hood demands that the Sheriff shall proclaim him Earl. The Sheriff declares that by his father’s will he has been disinherited, and that he has the documents to show that before Robin Hood’s birth his father was secretly married to a young peasant girl, who died when the Earl’s first child was born. He further declares that he reared the child, and that he is Sir Guy, the rightful heir of Huntington. Maid Marian declares she will suppress the King’s command and not accept Sir Guy’s hand, and Robin [59] Hood vows justice shall be done when the King returns from the Crusades.

The second act opens with a brisk hunting-chorus, “Oh! cheerily soundeth the Hunter’s Horn,” sung by Allan a Dale, Little John, Scarlet, and the male chorus, in the course of which Scarlet tells the story of the tailor and the crow, set to a humming accompaniment. This is followed by Little John’s unctuous apostrophe to the nut-brown ale, “And it’s will ye quaff with me, my Lads.” The next number is a tinkers’ song, “’Tis Merry Journeymen we are,” with characteristic accompaniment, followed by an elaborate sextette, “Oh, see the Lambkins play.” Maid Marian sings a joyous forest song, “In Greenwood Fair,” followed by Robin Hood’s serenade, “A Troubadour sang to his Love,” and a quartette in which Maid Marian declares her love for Robin Hood and Allan a Dale vows revenge. In the finale, opening in waltz time, the Sheriff is placed in the stocks by the outlaws, who jeer at him while Dame Durden flouts him, but he is finally rescued by Sir Guy and his archers. The outlaws in turn find themselves in trouble, and Maid Marian and Robin Hood are in despair.

The last act opens with a vigorous armorers’ song, “Let Hammer on Anvil ring,” followed by a pretty romance, “The Legend of the Chimes,” with a ding-dong accompaniment. A graceful duet follows, “There will come a Time,” in which Robin Hood and Maid Marian plight their troth. [60] In strong contrast with this, Annabel, Dame Durden, Sir Guy, the Sheriff, and Friar Tuck indulge in a vivacious quintette, “When Life seems made of Pains and Pangs, I sing my Too-ral-loo-ral-loo.” A jolly country dance and chorus, “Happy Day, Happy Day,” introduce the finale, in which Maid Marian is saved by the timely arrival of Robin Hood at the church door with the King’s pardon, leaving him free to marry.

Maid Marian.

[Comic opera, in three acts; text by Harry B. Smith. First produced at Chestnut Street Opera House, Philadelphia, Pa., November 4, 1901.]

PERSONAGES.

Sheriff of Nottingham.

Little John.

Robin Hood.

Will Scarlet.

Friar Tuck.

Allan a Dale.

Guy of Gisborne.

Dame Durden.

Giles, Geoffrey, } gamekeepers.

Yussuf, a slave merchant.

Sir H. Vere de Vere, Sir Hugh Montford, } Knights of St. George.

Amina, a snake-charmer.

Lady Vivian.

Maid Marian.

[Huntsmen, men at arms, Saracen warriors, mummers, Crusaders, etc.]

The scene is laid in England and Palestine; time of Richard the First.

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The story of “Maid Marian” introduces most of the familiar characters in “Robin Hood” and some new ones, and the scene alternates between Sherwood Forest and Palestine. It is intended as a sequel to the latter opera. The plot begins at the point where Maid Marian and Robin Hood were betrothed. Robin has joined the Crusaders and left Marian on the eve of the wedding. He also leaves a letter for Marian in Little John’s charge, directing her in case of trouble to apply to him for help. This letter is stolen by the Sheriff of Nottingham, who substitutes for it a forged missive calculated to make her believe that Robin is false. The first act closes with the arrival of Little John and the forest outlaws, who leave for the holy war. Marian joins them to seek for Robin.

The second act opens in the camp of the Crusaders, near the city of Acre. Maid Marian has been captured by the Saracens and sold into slavery, but is rescued by Robin Hood. Then the Sheriff of Nottingham and Guy of Gisborne, the latter still intent upon marrying Marian, appear in the disguise of merchants and betray the camp into the hands of the Saracens. Dame Durden’s encounter with the Sheriff and Friar Tuck’s antics as an odalisque add merriment to the story.

In the last act all the principals are back in England and the scene opens with a Christmas revel in Huntington Castle. Robin thwarts all the schemes of the Sheriff, comes into his rights, and is reunited to Maid Marian.

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While the story lacks in interest as compared with that of “Robin Hood,” the music gains in dramatic power and seriousness of purpose, and at the same time is full of life and vivacity. The overture is notable for being in genuine concert form,—the first instance of the kind in comic opera for many years past,—and thus naturally sets the pace, as it were, for the opera, and gives the clew to its musical contents. The most noticeable numbers in the first act are the Cellarer’s Toast, “The Cellar is dark and the Cellar is deep,” a rollicking song for Scarlet, Friar Tuck, and chorus; the charmingly melodious “Song of the Falcon,” “Let one who will go hunt the Deer,” for Maid Marian; the Sheriff’s song, “I am the Sheriff Mild and Good,” which is always popular; and a delightful madrigal, the quintette “Love may come and Love may go.” The second act contains many pleasing and characteristic songs, among them “The Monk and the Magpie,” sung by Scarlet and chorus; the “Song of the Outlaw,” a spirited ballad by Robin Hood; the Sheriff’s serenade, a popular tune, “When a Man is in Love”; “The Snake Charmer’s Song,” by Maid Marian; and the vigorous “Song of the Crusader” by Robin; but the two most effective numbers are a graceful song, “Tell me again, Sweetheart,” sung by Allan a Dale, and the duet in waltz manner, “True Love is not for a Day,” by Robin and Marian. The third act is largely choral, the introductory Christmas carolling and [63] dance rhythms being especially effective, but it contains one of the best solo numbers in the work, the dainty song with chorus, “Under the Mistletoe Bough.” The music throughout is dramatic, strong, and well written. While the opera has not been as popular as its predecessor, yet the music is of a higher order, and occasionally approaches grand opera in its breadth and earnestness.

Rob Roy.

[Romantic comic opera, in three acts; text by Harry B. Smith. First produced at the Herald Square Theatre, New York, October 29, 1894.]

PERSONAGES.

Rob Roy MacGregor, Highland chief.

Janet, daughter of the Mayor.

Prince Charles Edward Stuart, the young Pretender.

Flora MacDonald, partisan of the Pretender.

Dugald MacWheeble, Mayor of Perth.

Lochiel, otherwise Donald Cameron.

Capt. Ralph Sheridan, of the Grenadiers.

Sandy MacSherry, town-crier.

Tammas MacSorlie, the Mayor’s henchman.

Lieut. Cornwallis, of the Grenadiers.

Lieut. Clinton.

Angus MacAllister.

Duncan Campbell.

Stuart MacPherson.

Donald MacAlpine.

Nellie, barmaid of “The Crown and Thistle.”

[Highlanders, Lowlanders, townsmen, watchmen, drummer-boys, English Grenadiers, etc.]

The scene is laid in Scotland; time of George the Second.

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The first act of “Rob Roy” opens in Perth, where Lochiel and his Highlanders have stolen a considerable sum of money in the keeping of the Provost, with which they propose to aid Prince Charles Stuart in his designs upon the English throne. Flora MacDonald, a zealous partisan of the young Pretender, appears upon the scene, and induces the Provost to consent to a gathering of the clans in Perth. Hearing of a Scotch victory, he compels his daughter Janet to marry Sandy MacSherry, the town-crier, who claims relationship with the Stuarts. In the mean time English grenadiers enter Perth, and their captain, Ralph Sheridan, falls in love with Janet. The Provost, who is always on the side that is uppermost, forces his daughter to declare herself the Captain’s wife and then accuses Sandy of stealing the missing money. Janet obeys him, but immediately afterwards Rob Roy captures the town, and the Provost, to get rid of his new English son-in-law, causes his arrest. It now appears that the crafty Janet when she went through the Scotch form of marriage with Sandy and the Captain was already secretly married to Rob Roy. To escape her two nominal husbands she proposes to go with Rob Roy’s Highlanders as his orderly. The act closes with the gathering of the clans and the elevation of the standard.

The second act opens with the defeat of the Scotch at Culloden. A reward is offered for the Prince, who is in hiding among the MacGregors in their mountain stronghold. The Provost and his [65] henchmen appear as strolling balladmongers, still in Highland dress, and not having heard of the Scotch defeat. When Sandy MacSherry arrives with the news of the English victory, the Provost gets into English uniform at once, and determines to secure the reward offered for the Prince. At last the Prince is found by the English, but when they are about to take him away, Flora MacDonald appears in the Prince’s costume, declares him her servant, and is led away by the soldiers in spite of the efforts of Rob Roy and the Prince to rescue her.

The third act opens near Stirling Castle, where Flora is confined under sentence of death on the morrow. Lochiel aids her to escape, and she goes to the MacGregors’ cave, where the Prince is to join her. Meanwhile, her cell being empty, Lochiel, who has taken the turnkey’s place, puts Sandy in it. The Provost, who is now an English corporal, supposing that Flora is still in the castle, brings her a disguise costume in which Sandy manages to effect his escape. Flora is found in the cave and brought back to the camp, but is saved from being shot by the timely arrival of the Prince, who gives himself up. As he is about to be executed, the Lowlanders around him throw off their coats and stand revealed as armed Highlanders. They keep the English soldiers at bay while the Prince and Flora are seen sailing away for France.

In the first act, after a long choral scene and [66] ensemble, Flora makes her entrance with the spirited song, “Away in the Morning Early,” which is followed by a sentimental duet with the Prince, “Thou, Dear Heart.” The town-crier next has a characteristic song with a ding-dong accompaniment. After a grenadier song and chorus by Captain Sheridan and his soldiers, there is a vigorous Highland chorus and song by Rob Roy, “The White and the Red, huzzah.” The remaining prominent numbers in this act are a pretty duet for Rob Roy and Janet, “There he is and nae one wi’ him”; a charming Scotch ballad, “My Hame is where the Heather blooms,” and a humorous song by the Provost, “My Hairt is in the Highlands.”

The principal numbers in the second act are Janet’s joyous song, “There was a Merry Miller of the Lowland”; the spirited martial lay of the Cavalier, “With their trappings all a-jingle”; the jolly song of the balladmongers, “From Place to Place I fare, Lads”; Rob Roy’s song, “Come, Lairds of the Highlands”; and the effective romanza, “Dearest Heart of my Heart,” sung by Flora.

The third act opens with a vigorous rataplan chorus followed by a charming chansonette and duet, “Who can tell me where she dwells,” sung by the Prince and Flora. The remaining numbers are a short but exceedingly effective bass song, “In the Donjon Deep”; the Provost’s serenade, “The Land of Romances,” followed by a dance, [67] and a pretty little rustic song, “There’s a Lass, some think her Bonny,” for Rob Roy, Janet, and chorus, leading up to a vigorous choral finale.

The Fencing-Master.

[Comic opera, in three acts; text by Harry B. Smith. First produced at the New York Casino, November 14, 1892.]

PERSONAGES.

Francesca, Torquato’s daughter, brought up as a boy.

Torquato, fencing-master of the Milanese court.

Pasquino, private astrologer to the Duke.

Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan.

Count Guido Malespine.

Filippa, the Duke’s ward.

Marchesa di Goldoni.

Theresa, daughter of a Milanese money-lender.

Pietro, an innkeeper.

Michaele Steno, Doge of Venice.

Rinaldo, Captain of the Doge’s Guards.

Fortunio, rightful heir to the ducal throne.

[Students in Torquato’s Academy.]

The scene is laid in Milan and Venice; time, the first quarter of the fifteenth century.

The heroine of this opera is Francesca, daughter of a fencing-master, who has brought her up as a boy and taught her fencing among other accomplishments. She is in love with Fortunio, rightful heir to the throne of Milan, who believes her to be a boy. Fortunio in turn is in love with the Countess Filippa, and the Marchesa di Goldoni, a young widow, is in love with Francesca. The bankrupt and usurping Duke of Milan and his [68] private astrologer, of whom he has purchased so many horoscopes as to deplete his exchequer, furnish the comedy element of the opera. The Duke has mortgaged one room after another in his palace to money-lenders, and has also employed a regularly organized stock company of Venetian bravos to remove Fortunio. The first act closes with the departure of Fortunio and Francesca to Venice on political business.

The second act opens in Venice. Filippa has been sent there to be married, but Fortunio plans an elopement with her and entrusts the secret to Francesca. The jealous Francesca betrays the plan to Guido, his rival, who abducts Filippa. When Fortunio discovers what Francesca has done, he challenges the supposed young man, whose identity is revealed after he has wounded her. Fortunio is arrested by the Duke and is about to be taken to prison, when Francesca declares herself as the real traitor and is imprisoned in his stead.

In the last act Francesca escapes through the connivance of the Marchesa, who still believes her to be a man. At a fête Filippa is expected to name her future husband. Fortunio has made an appointment with her, but meets Francesca disguised as the Countess, in a mask and domino like hers. She learns from Fortunio that he really loves her and not Filippa. The opera closes with the downfall of the usurping Duke and his astrologer and the restoration of Fortunio to his rights.

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The music has the Italian color, the first act containing a graceful tarantella and chorus, “Under thy Window I wait”; a duet, gavotte, and chorus, “Oh, listen, and in Verse I will relate,” sung by Theresa and Pasquino; a lively song, “The Life of a Rover,” by Fortunio; a charming habanera and quintette, “True Love is a Gem so Fair and Rare”; and a waltz quintette, “Lady Fair, I must decline.” The second act opens with a barcarole, “Over the Moonlit Waves we glide,” and contains also a graceful maranesca, “Oh, come, my Love, the Stars are bright”; a humorous serenade for the Duke, “Singing a Serenade is no Light Task”; a sentimental romanza for Francesca, “The Nightingale and the Rose”; and a brilliant finale in which the music accompanies the historic ceremony of the marriage with the Adriatic. The principal numbers of the third act are a graceful carnival scene with chorus opening the act; the serenade for the Marchesa and cavaliers, “Wild Bird that singeth”; a will-o’-the-wisp song by Francesca, “Traveller wandering wearily”; and a melodious duet for Francesca and Fortunio, “Dwells an Image in my Heart,” leading up to a short finale.

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