Thirty Years of Musical Life in London, 1870-1900

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

146-8

text excerpt

The composer of “Esmeralda" had been fortunate enough to discover a new librettist in Mr. Julian Sturgis, an American litterateur unknown to fame in England, who had submitted a promising scenario upon a Russian subject. The title of the new opera was "Nadeshda." Goring Thomas devoted the best part of 1884 to writing the music, and it was announced for production at Drury Lane in April, 1885. Unusual secrecy was observed with regard to the work,— almost as much, in fact, as in the case of a new Savoy opera,— but I persuaded the composer to lend me an advance copy of the book, and published a notice of the story in the “Sunday Times”. This evoked the following letter from the ever-nervous Carl Rosa:

10 Warwick Crescent, Maida Hill, W. 24th March, 1885.

Dear Klein: I saw the “Nadeshda” plot today, and must confess it is admirably written. But where did you get the material from— from an artist, eh? I have only this morning sent words of the tenor song now to be sung to the printer's, and did not want to get copies in the hands of the press before the book was complete.

Sincerely yours, Carl Rosa. “Nadeshda” made an instantaneous success. It was pronounced immeasurably stronger than “Esmeralda”, the music showing a wonderful advance alike in originality and dramatic grip. Handsomely staged by Augustus Harris, splendidly sung by Alwina Valleria, Josephine Yorke, Barton McGuckin, and Leslie Crotty, it achieved the hit of the season and evoked eulogies that must have delighted the soul of the modest composer. During the following autumn and winter, “Nadeshda” was brought out in several Continental cities, and, knowing how little Goring Thomas sought advertisement on these occasions, I used to take pleasure in letting him know what was going on.

excerpt from 'Thirty Years of Musical Life in London, 1870-1900' pp. 146-8 (310 words)

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