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    The Scorcerer: "Sprites of earth and air…."
    The Scorcerer: "Sprites of earth and air…."
    The Scorcerer: "Sprites of earth and air…."
    Ebook110 pages1 hour

    The Scorcerer: "Sprites of earth and air…."

    By W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan

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    About this ebook

    The partnership between William Schwenck Gilbert and Arthur Seymour Sullivan and their canon of Savoy Operas is rightly lauded by all lovers of comic opera the world over. Gilbert’s sharp, funny words and Sullivan’s deliciously lively and hummable tunes create a world that is distinctly British in view but has the world as its audience. Both men were exceptionally talented and gifted in their own right and wrote much, often with other partners, that still stands the test of time. However, together as a team they created Light or Comic Operas of a standard that have had no rivals equal to their standard, before or since. That’s quite an achievement. To be recognised by the critics is one thing but their commercial success was incredible. The profits were astronomical, allowing for the building of their own purpose built theatre – The Savoy Theatre. Beginning with the first of their fourteen collaborations, Thespis in 1871 and travelling through many classics including The Sorcerer (1877), H.M.S. Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), The Mikado (1885), The Gondoliers (1889) to their finale in 1896 with The Grand Duke, Gilbert & Sullivan created a legacy that is constantly revived and admired in theatres and other media to this very day.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCopyright Group
    Release dateJun 1, 2016
    ISBN9781785437311
    The Scorcerer: "Sprites of earth and air…."
    Author

    W. S. Gilbert

    W. S. Gilbert (1836-1911) was an English librettist, dramatist, and poet. Born in London, Gilbert was raised by William, a surgeon and novelist, and Anne Mary, an apothecary’s daughter. As a child he lived with his parents in Italy and France before finally returning to London in 1847. Gilbert graduated from Kind’s College London in 1856 before joining the Civil Service and briefly working as a barrister. In 1861, he began publishing poems, stories, and theatre reviews in Fun, The Cornhill Magazine, and Temple Bar. His first play was Uncle Baby, which ran to moderate acclaim for seven weeks in 1863. He soon became one of London’s most popular writers of opera burlesques, but turned away from the form in 1869 to focus on prose comedies. In 1871, he began working with composer Arthur Sullivan, whose music provided the perfect melody to some of the most popular comic operas of all time, including H. M. S. Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), and The Mikado (1885). At London’s Savoy Theatre and around the world, The D’Oyly Carte Opera Company would perform Gilbert and Sullivan’s works for the next century. Gilbert, the author of more than 75 plays and countless more poems, stories, and articles, influenced such writers as Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw, as well as laid the foundation for the success of American musical theatre on Broadway and beyond.

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      Book preview

      The Scorcerer - W. S. Gilbert

      The Scorcerer by Gilbert & Sullivan

      Libretto by William S. Gilbert

      Music by Arthur Sullivan

      The partnership between William Schwenck Gilbert and Arthur Seymour Sullivan and their canon of Savoy Operas is rightly lauded by all lovers of comic opera the world over. 

      Gilbert’s sharp, funny words and Sullivan’s deliciously lively and hummable tunes create a world that is distinctly British in view but has the world as its audience.

      Both men were exceptionally talented and gifted in their own right and wrote much, often with other partners, that still stands the test of time.  However, together as a team they created Light or Comic Operas of a standard that have had no rivals equal to their standard, before or since. That’s quite an achievement.

      To be recognised by the critics is one thing but their commercial success was incredible.  The profits were astronomical, allowing for the building of their own purpose built theatre – The Savoy Theatre.

      Beginning with the first of their fourteen collaborations, Thespis in 1871 and travelling through many classics including The Sorcerer (1877), H.M.S. Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), The Mikado (1885), The Gondoliers (1889) to their finale in 1896 with The Grand Duke, Gilbert & Sullivan created a legacy that is constantly revived and admired in theatres and other media to this very day.

      Index of Contents

      DRAMATIS PERSONAE

      SCENES

      MUSICAL NUMBERS

      ACT I

      ACT II

      GILBERT & SULLIVAN – A SHORT BIOGRAPHY

      GILBERT & SULLIVAN – A CONCISE BIBLIOGRAPHY

      The Sorcerer first appeared at the Opéra Comique, a little theatre on the Strand, on November 17, 1877. The original run was a 175 performances. It was enough to Gilbert & Sullivan to continue to collaborate,

      DRAMATIS PERSONAE

      Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre, an Elderly Baronet

      Alexis, of the Grenadier Guards—His Son

      Dr. Daly, Vicar of Ploverleigh

      John Wellington Wells, of J. W. Wells & Co., Family Sorcerers

      Lady Sangazure, a Lady of Ancient Lineage

      Aline, Her Daughter—betrothed to Alexis

      Mrs. Partlet, a Pew-Opener

      Constance, her Daughter

      Chorus of Villagers

      SCENES

      ACT I—Grounds of Sir Marmaduke's Mansion, Mid-day

      (Twelve hours are supposed to elapse between Acts I and II)

      ACT II— Grounds of Sir Marmaduke's Mansion, Midnight

      MUSICAL NUMBERS

      Overture (includes With heart and with voice, When he is here, Dear friends, take pity on my lot, and My name is John Wellington Wells)

      ACT I

      1. Ring forth ye bells (Double Chorus)

      2. Constance, my daughter, why this strange depression? (Mrs. Partlet and Constance)

      2a. When he is here (Constance)

      3. The air is charged with amatory numbers (Dr Daly)

      3a. Time was when Love and I were well acquainted (Dr Daly)

      4. Sir Marmaduke, my dear young friend Alexis (Sir Marmaduke, Dr Daly, and Alexis)

      4a. (Dance)

      5. With heart and with voice (Chorus of Girls)

      6. My kindly friends (Aline)

      6a. Happy young heart (Aline)

      7. My child, I join in these congratulations (Lady Sangazure)

      8. With heart and with voice (Chorus of Men)

      9. Welcome, joy! (Lady Sangazure and Sir Marmaduke)

      10. All is prepared (Aline, Alexis, Notary, and Chorus)

      10a. With heart and with voice (Double Chorus)

      11.  Love feeds on many kinds of food (Alexis)

      12.  My name is John Wellington Wells (Mr. Wells)

      13.  Sprites of earth and air (Aline, Alexis, Mr. Wells, and Chorus)

      14. Act I Finale (Ensemble)

      Now to the banquet we press

      The Tea-Cup Brindisi (Eat, drink and be gay)

      Oh love, true love

      Oh marvellous illusion

      Tea-Cup Brindisi reprise – 1877 version only

      ACT II

      15. Happy are we in our loving frivolity" (Chorus) – 1877 version only

      15. 'Tis twelve, I think and Why, where be Oi?... If you'll marry me (Aline, Alexis, Mr. Wells, and Chorus) – 1884 version

      16. Dear friends, take pity on my lot (Constance, Notary, Aline, Alexis, and Chorus)

      17. Thou hast the pow'r thy vaunted love (Alexis)

      18. I rejoice that it's decided (Aline, Mrs. Partlet, Alexis, Dr Daly, and Sir Marmaduke)

      19. Oh, I have wrought much evil with my spells (Lady Sangazure and Mr. Wells)

      20. Alexis! Doubt me not, my loved one (Aline)

      21. Oh, my voice is sad and low (Dr Daly)

      22. Oh, joyous boon! oh, mad delight (Aline, Alexis, Dr Daly, and Chorus)

      23. Prepare for sad surprises (Alexis)

      24. Act II Finale: Or he or I must die (leading to a reprise of Now to the banquet we press) (Ensemble)

      ACT I.

      SCENE—Exterior of Sir Marmaduke's Elizabethan Mansion, mid-day.

      CHORUS OF VILLAGERS

      Ring forth, ye bells,

      With clarion sound—

      Forget your knells,

      For joys abound.

      Forget your notes

      Of mournful lay,

      And from your throats

      Pour joy to-day.

      For to-day young Alexis—young Alexis Pointdextre

      Is betrothed to Aline—to Aline Sangazure,

      And that pride of his sex is—of his sex is to be next her

      At the feast on the green—on the green, oh, be sure!

      Ring forth, ye bells etc.

      (Exeunt the MEN into house.)

      (Enter MRS PARTLET with CONSTANCE, her daughter)

      RECITATIVE

      MRS PARTLET  

      Constance, my daughter, why this strange depression?

      The village rings with seasonable joy,

      Because the young and amiable Alexis,

      Heir to the great Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre,

      Is plighted to Aline, the only daughter

      Of Annabella, Lady Sangazure.

      You, you alone are sad and out of spirits;

      What is the reason?  Speak, my daughter, speak!

      CONSTANCE       

      Oh, mother, do not ask!  If my complexion

      From red to white should change in quick succession,

      And then from white to red, oh, take no notice!

      If my poor limbs should tremble with emotion,

      Pay no attention, mother—it is nothing!

      If long and deep-drawn sighs I chance to utter,

      Oh, heed them not, their cause must ne'er be known!

      MRS PARTLET motions to CHORUS to leave her with CONSTANCE. 

      Exeunt LADIES OF CHORUS

      ARIA—CONSTANCE

      When he is here,

      I sigh with pleasure—

      When he is gone,

      I sigh with grief.

      My hopeless fear

      No soul can measure—

      His love alone

      Can give my aching heart relief!

      When

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