The Red Hussar
Encyclopedia
Edward Solomon
Edward Solomon was a prolific English composer, as well as a conductor, orchestrator and pianist. Though he died before his fortieth birthday, he wrote dozens of works produced for the stage, including several for the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, such as The Nautch Girl, among others.-Early...
, with a libretto by Henry Pottinger Stephens
Henry Pottinger Stephens
Henry Pottinger Stephens, also known as Henry Beauchamp , was an English dramatist and journalist. With a variety of partners, he wrote burlesques, comic operas and musical comedies that briefly rivalled the Savoy Operas in popular esteem.-Life and career:"Pot" Stephens was born in Barrow-on-Soar,...
, which opened at the Lyric Theatre
Lyric Theatre (London)
The Lyric Theatre is a West End theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster.Designed by architect C. J. Phipps, it was built by producer Henry Leslie with profits from the Alfred Cellier and B. C. Stephenson hit, Dorothy, which he transferred from the Prince of Wales Theatre to open...
in London on 23 November 1889, running for 175 performances. It was the revised version of an opera written several years earlier called The White Sergeant. It starred Marie Tempest
Marie Tempest
Dame Marie Tempest DBE was an English singer and actress known as the "queen of her profession".Tempest became the most famous soprano in late Victorian light opera and Edwardian musical comedies. Later, she became a leading comic actress and toured widely in North America and elsewhere...
, Hayden Coffin, Arthur Williams
Arthur Williams (actor)
Arthur Williams was an English actor, singer and playwright best remembered for his roles in comic operas, musical burlesques and Edwardian musical comedies...
and later John Le Hay
John Le Hay
John Le Hay was the stage name of John Healy was an Irish-born singer and actor best remembered for his portrayal of the comic baritone roles in the Savoy Operas.-Early career:...
.
The show also had a New York run at Palmer's theatre and then the Grand Opera House in 1890, with Tempest making her American debut, and it enjoyed other revivals.
Roles
- Ralph Rodney – Ben DaviesBen Davies (tenor)Ben Davies was a Welsh tenor singer, who appeared in opera with the Carl Rosa Opera Company, in operetta and light opera, and on the concert and oratorio platform...
- Sir Middlesex Mashem – Albert Christian
- Corporal Bundy – Arthur WilliamsArthur Williams (actor)Arthur Williams was an English actor, singer and playwright best remembered for his roles in comic operas, musical burlesques and Edwardian musical comedies...
- Sir Harry Leighton – C. Hayden CoffinC. Hayden CoffinCharles Hayden Coffin was an English actor and singer known for his performances in many famous Edwardian musical comedies, particularly those produced by George Edwardes....
- Mr. William Byles – Frank M. Wood
- Private Smith – S. King (later replaced by John Le HayJohn Le HayJohn Le Hay was the stage name of John Healy was an Irish-born singer and actor best remembered for his portrayal of the comic baritone roles in the Savoy Operas.-Early career:...
) - Gaylord – A. Ferrand
- Maybud – G. Willoughby
- Kitty Carroll – Marie TempestMarie TempestDame Marie Tempest DBE was an English singer and actress known as the "queen of her profession".Tempest became the most famous soprano in late Victorian light opera and Edwardian musical comedies. Later, she became a leading comic actress and toured widely in North America and elsewhere...
- Barbara Bellasys – Florence Dysart
- Daisy – Maud Holland
- Mrs. Magpie – W. Sidney
Musical numbers
- Overture
Act I - The Inn Yard of the "Crown," Lyndhurst
- No. 1 - Opening Chorus with solos, and Song - Bundy - "Merry England" and "Won't you join the army?"
- No. 2 - Song - Sir Harry Leighton - "My love and I were singing; my love and I were young"
- No. 3 - Song - Ralph Rodney - "When life and I were first acquainted, then life was old and I was young"
- No. 4 - Trio - Sir Harry Leighton, Ralph Rodney & Barbara - "Pray understand I keep my hand"
- No. 5 - Valse Song - Kitty Carroll - "Wand'ring at will o'er dale and hill, gaily my voice is ringing"
- No. 6 - Chorus of Soldiers & Villagers - "Tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, onward we go, boys"
- No. 7 - Song - Sir Middlesex Mashem & Chorus - "I am a soldier of renown, a veritable hero"
- No. 8 - Concerted Piece - Kitty, Bundy & Soldiers - "Come, sing to us, or forfeit pay" & "When I was but a little child"
- No. 9 - Duet - Kitty & Rodney - "One winter morn, a maid forlorn sat weeping, weeping by the way"
- No. 10 - Finale Act I - "My lad, 'tis time for us to start"
- Entr'acte
Act II - The English Camp, near Bruges, France
- No. 11 - Opening Chorus - "Old Bruges' belfry tells the world that fading is the day"
- No. 12 - Sabot Dance and Solo
- No. 13 - For Exit of Girls - "Old Bruges' belfry tells the earth that faded is the day"
- No. 14 - Romance - Sir Harry - "I am lord of a castle, so fair, so grand, that I built of mine own free will"
- No. 15 - Duet - Mrs. Magpie & Bundy - "There was a pretty maiden, and she lov'd a sailor bold"
- No. 16 - Song - Barbara - "My love must be a soldier with a great large heart"
- No. 17 - Drummer Boys' Chorus - "You may tell by our manners airy, we belong to the military!"
- No. 18 - Recit. & Song of the Regiment - Kitty and Chorus - "Thanks, comrades, thanks for this your greeting"
- No. 19 - Song - Rodney - "How calm and still the night! How soft and dim the light!"
- No. 20 - Duet - Kitty & Rodney - "My Kitty, dear, how came you here? So far away from home"
- No. 21 - Finale Act II - "Hasn't she a soft white hand!"
- Entr'acte
Act III - The Garden and Terrace of Avon Manor
- No. 22 - Opening Chorus - "A Jubilee! A Jubilee! A Jubilee today!"
- No. 23 - Chorus of Children (Bridesmaids & Drummer Boys) - "Happy little maidens all are we"
- No. 24 - Country Dance
- No. 25 - Ballad - Kitty - "I dreamt I was a child again, and stood by a silver sea"
- No. 26 - Song - Bundy - "I intend to sing a song with variations"
- No. 27 - Sestette - Kitty, Barbara, Mrs. Magpie, Rodney, Leighton & Sir Middlesex - "One little kiss"
- No. 28 - Finale Act III - "Steady, boys, steady; ready, boys, ready"