The Carp (opera)
Encyclopedia
The Carp is a one-act comic opera
(styled "a whimsicality") with a libretto by Frank Desprez
and music by Alfred Cellier
. It was first produced at the Savoy Theatre
from 13 February 1886 to 19 January 1887, as a companion piece to The Mikado
. It was then revived as companion to Ruddigore
from 21 February 1887 to 5 November 1887. The piece also toured throughout 1888.
No printed libretto or vocal score is found in British Library. A copy of the libretto is in the Lord Chamberlain's collection. As the score is lost, modern amateur productions have played the piece with original music. One such score, composed by Quade Winter
, was originally requested in 1998 by the Gilbert and Sullivan Archive for their Web Opera series, and later orchestrated for production by the Ohio Light Opera
in 1999. It was revived in 2011 by Concert Operetta Theater of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The fashion in the late Victorian era
was to present long evenings in the theatre, and so producer Richard D'Oyly Carte
preceded his Savoy opera
s with curtain raisers
such as The Carp. W. J. MacQueen-Pope
commented, concerning such curtain raisers:
by drowning himself in the river. Piscator, upset, tells Amandus that he has, throughout his life, tried to catch a particular carp at this place. If Amandus throws himself in, he will chase away the carp and spoil a lifetime of work. Amandus, in turn, tells Piscator of his hopeless love affair. He promises to wait until after 6 PM, when Piscator must return home, before drowning himself.
Amanda arrives, and she wants to commit suicide in the river, also over a hopeless love affair. Piscator tells her she must wait, and then goes up the bank, where he has seen the carp nibble at his line. Amanda tells Amandus about her plan to throw herself into the river, but Amandus notes that he has already claimed the pool for that purpose. Amandus's love is Clorinda, Amanda's dearest friend. Amanda then gives Amandus information that casts Clorinda in a bad light. She also shows Amandus that Clorinda has given a very unflattering profile of Amandus in a letter that Clorinda wrote to Amanda.
As the two continue to converse, Amanda finds out that her love, Corydon, is Amandus's best friend. Amandus reveals, however, that Corydon had paid off a gambling debt to Amandus by giving him Amanda's ring. He also relates some rather unflattering things that Corydon had told him about Amanda. Soon, the two are no longer enamoured of their former loves and are now in love with each other. By the time Piscator returns, neither of them wishes to commit suicide any more.
At the end of July 1886, Amandus was taken over by Charles Wilbraham. In September 1896, Rose Hervey took over the role of Amanda and sometimes shared the part with Miss Lindsay. After The Mikado closed, J. M. Gordon
took over the role of Piscator.
Comic opera
Comic opera denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending.Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a new operatic genre, opera buffa, emerged as an alternative to opera seria...
(styled "a whimsicality") with a libretto by Frank Desprez
Frank Desprez
Frank Desprez was an English playwright, essayist, and poet. He wrote more than twenty pieces for the theatre, as well as numerous shorter works, including his famous poem, Lasca.-Life and career:...
and music by Alfred Cellier
Alfred Cellier
Alfred Cellier was an English composer, orchestrator and conductor.In addition to conducting and music directing the original productions of several of the most famous Gilbert and Sullivan works and writing the overtures to some of them, Cellier conducted at many theatres in London, New York and...
. It was first produced at the Savoy Theatre
Savoy Theatre
The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre located in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre opened on 10 October 1881 and was built by Richard D'Oyly Carte on the site of the old Savoy Palace as a showcase for the popular series of comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan,...
from 13 February 1886 to 19 January 1887, as a companion piece to The Mikado
The Mikado
The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations...
. It was then revived as companion to Ruddigore
Ruddigore
Ruddigore; or, The Witch's Curse, originally called Ruddygore, is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy Operas and the tenth of fourteen comic operas written together by Gilbert and Sullivan...
from 21 February 1887 to 5 November 1887. The piece also toured throughout 1888.
No printed libretto or vocal score is found in British Library. A copy of the libretto is in the Lord Chamberlain's collection. As the score is lost, modern amateur productions have played the piece with original music. One such score, composed by Quade Winter
Quade Winter
Quade Winter is an American composer, musical restorer and translator, specializing in the light operas of Victor Herbert. Earlier in his career, he sang opera for over two decades.-Early years and singing career:...
, was originally requested in 1998 by the Gilbert and Sullivan Archive for their Web Opera series, and later orchestrated for production by the Ohio Light Opera
Ohio Light Opera
The Ohio Light Opera is a professional opera company based in Wooster, Ohio that performs the light opera repertory, including Gilbert and Sullivan, American, British and continental operettas, and other musical theatre works, especially of the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
in 1999. It was revived in 2011 by Concert Operetta Theater of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The fashion in the late Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
was to present long evenings in the theatre, and so producer Richard D'Oyly Carte
Richard D'Oyly Carte
Richard D'Oyly Carte was an English talent agent, theatrical impresario, composer and hotelier during the latter half of the Victorian era...
preceded his Savoy opera
Savoy opera
The Savoy Operas denote a style of comic opera that developed in Victorian England in the late 19th century, with W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan as the original and most successful practitioners. The name is derived from the Savoy Theatre, which impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte built to house...
s with curtain raisers
Curtain raiser (drama)
A curtain raiser is a performance, stage act, show, actor or performer that opens a show for the main attraction. The term is derived from the act of raising the stage curtain...
such as The Carp. W. J. MacQueen-Pope
W. J. MacQueen-Pope
Walter James MacQueen-Pope was an English theatre historian and publicist. From a theatrical family which could be traced back to contemporaries of Shakespeare, he was in management for the first part of his career, but switched to publicity, in which field he became well-known...
commented, concerning such curtain raisers:
- This was a one-act play, seen only by the early comers. It would play to empty boxes, half-empty upper circle, to a gradually filling stalls and dress circle, but to an attentive, grateful and appreciative pit and gallery. Often these plays were little gems. They deserved much better treatment than they got, but those who saw them delighted in them. ... [They] served to give young actors and actresses a chance to win their spurs ... the stalls and the boxes lost much by missing the curtain-raiser, but to them dinner was more important.
Synopsis
In a charming rural 17th century setting, near a stream and rustic bridge, Piscator arrives, looking forward to a quiet day's fishing. He is interrupted by Amandus, who wants to commit suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by drowning himself in the river. Piscator, upset, tells Amandus that he has, throughout his life, tried to catch a particular carp at this place. If Amandus throws himself in, he will chase away the carp and spoil a lifetime of work. Amandus, in turn, tells Piscator of his hopeless love affair. He promises to wait until after 6 PM, when Piscator must return home, before drowning himself.
Amanda arrives, and she wants to commit suicide in the river, also over a hopeless love affair. Piscator tells her she must wait, and then goes up the bank, where he has seen the carp nibble at his line. Amanda tells Amandus about her plan to throw herself into the river, but Amandus notes that he has already claimed the pool for that purpose. Amandus's love is Clorinda, Amanda's dearest friend. Amanda then gives Amandus information that casts Clorinda in a bad light. She also shows Amandus that Clorinda has given a very unflattering profile of Amandus in a letter that Clorinda wrote to Amanda.
As the two continue to converse, Amanda finds out that her love, Corydon, is Amandus's best friend. Amandus reveals, however, that Corydon had paid off a gambling debt to Amandus by giving him Amanda's ring. He also relates some rather unflattering things that Corydon had told him about Amanda. Soon, the two are no longer enamoured of their former loves and are now in love with each other. By the time Piscator returns, neither of them wishes to commit suicide any more.
Musical numbers
- No. 1 – The Fisherman, at the Break of Day
- No. 2 – I Loved Her!
- No. 3 – Why does azure deck the sky?
- No. 4 – It's really very hard
- No. 5 – My heart is doubly broken! – Mem'ries
- No. 6 – Finale – Mem'ries
Cast information
The original cast was:- Amandus (tenorTenorThe tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
) – Charles Hildesley - Amanda (sopranoSopranoA soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
) – Josephine Findlay - Piscator (bass) – Eric LewisEric Lewis (actor)Frederic Lewis Tuffley , better known by his stage name, Eric Lewis, was an English comedian, actor and singer...
At the end of July 1886, Amandus was taken over by Charles Wilbraham. In September 1896, Rose Hervey took over the role of Amanda and sometimes shared the part with Miss Lindsay. After The Mikado closed, J. M. Gordon
J. M. Gordon
J. M. Gordon, was an English singer, actor, stage manager and director, best known as the influential long-time director of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company following the death of W. S. Gilbert.-Life and career:...
took over the role of Piscator.