The White Chrysanthemum
Encyclopedia
Arthur Anderson (dramatist)
Arthur Anderson was an English dramatist and lyricist, who is best known for his libretti for Edwardian musical comedies.-Biography:...
and Leedham Bantock, with lyrics by Anderson and music by Howard Talbot
Howard Talbot
Richard Lansdale Munkittrick, better known as Howard Talbot , was an American-born, English-raised conductor and composer of Irish descent...
). It opened at the Criterion Theatre
Criterion Theatre
The Criterion Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Piccadilly Circus in the City of Westminster, and is a Grade II* listed building. It has an official capacity of 588.-Building the theatre:...
, produced by Frank Curzon
Frank Curzon
Frank Curzon was an English actor who became an important theatre manager, leasing the Royal Strand Theatre, Avenue Theatre, Criterion Theatre, Comedy Theatre, Prince of Wales Theatre and Wyndham's Theatre, among others....
, on 31 August 1905 and ran for 179 performances, closing on 10 February 1906. The Japanese-themed musical starred Isabel Jay
Isabel Jay
Isabel Jay was an English opera singer and actress, best known for her performances in soprano roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and in musical comedies...
, Rutland Barrington
Rutland Barrington
Rutland Barrington was an English singer, actor, comedian, and Edwardian musical comedy star. Best remembered for originating the lyric baritone roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas from 1877 to 1896, his performing career spanned more than four decades...
, Lawrence Grossmith
Lawrence Grossmith
Lawrence Grossmith was a British actor, the son of Gilbert and Sullivan performer George Grossmith and the brother of actor George Grossmith, Jr.-Life and career:...
(a son of George Grossmith
George Grossmith
George Grossmith was an English comedian, writer, composer, actor, and singer. His performing career spanned more than four decades...
), and Henry Lytton
Henry Lytton
Sir Henry Lytton was an English actor and singer who was the leading exponent of the comic patter-baritone roles in Gilbert and Sullivan operas in the early part of the twentieth century...
. Louie Pounds
Louie Pounds
Louisa Emma Amelia "Louie" Pounds was an English singer and actress, known for her performances in musical comedies and in mezzo-soprano roles with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company....
later joined the cast. The musical enjoyed various international productions including one at the Kings Theatre in Melbourne, Australia in 1917 starring Barry Lupino
Lupino family
Lupino was the surname of a British theatre family tradition that could trace their roots back to an Italian émigré of the early 17th century. This family tradition comprised two actual families *the earlier Luppino or Lupino family...
.
Synopsis
Sybil Cunningham loves Reggie Armitage of the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. She has followed him from England to Japan partly to escape an unpleasant engagement in London. They have asked his father's consent to their marriage, and in the meantime, he has arranged for a modest house for her to stay in. His father the admiral, however, has decided that Reggie must marry a wealthy but vivacious American, Cornelia Vanderdecken. Sybil disguises herself as a Japanese girl and hides from Cornelia, and Reggie's friend, Chippy helps her keep up the pretense. But Sybil is distressed to see Reggie with Cornelia and runs away tearfully. Fortunately, Reggie's servant, Sin Chong, and Sybil's cousin, Betty, reveal the true situation to Sybil. In the end, Sybil returns to Reggie, Betty pairs off with Sir Horatio (who will agree to anything she wants), and Chippy lands Cornelia's heart.
Roles and original cast
- Admiral Sir Horatio Armitage, K.C.B. (baritoneBaritoneBaritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
) - Rutland BarringtonRutland BarringtonRutland Barrington was an English singer, actor, comedian, and Edwardian musical comedy star. Best remembered for originating the lyric baritone roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas from 1877 to 1896, his performing career spanned more than four decades... - Lieut. Reginald Armitage (His son) (baritoneBaritoneBaritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
) - Henry LyttonHenry LyttonSir Henry Lytton was an English actor and singer who was the leading exponent of the comic patter-baritone roles in Gilbert and Sullivan operas in the early part of the twentieth century... - Lieut. Chippendale Belmont (Reggie's friend) - Lawrence Grossmith
- Sin Chong (Reginald's Chinese servant) - M. R. Morand
- Cornelia Vanderdecken (An American heiress) - Marie George
- Betty Kenyon (A young widow, Cousin to Sybil) - Millie Legarde
- Sybil Cunningham (Known as O San, "The White Chrysanthemum") (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...
) - Isabel JayIsabel JayIsabel Jay was an English opera singer and actress, best known for her performances in soprano roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and in musical comedies...
Musical numbers
Act I - A Bungalow on the Sea Shore, Japan- No. 1 - Overture
- No. 2 - Prelude and Song - Sybil - "It was just an old-world village..."
- No. 3 - Duet - Sybil and Betty - "A White Chrysanthemum."
- No. 4 - Song - Reggie - "There's a dear little lady I love..."
- No. 5 - Song - Sybil - "The butterfly and the flower."
- No. 6 - Song - Sin Chong, with Japanese Girls - "Just when-ee day is dawning..."
- No. 7 - Duet - Sybil and Reggie - "When you are my very own..."
- No. 8 - Finale Act I - (during dialogue)
Act II - A Chrysanthemum Garden outside the Bungalow
- No. 9 - Introduction to Act II
- No. 10 - Quintet - Cornelia, Reggie, Chippy, Admiral and Lee - "Hide and Seek."
- No. 11 - Song - Chippy - "I've never been in love before..."
- No. 12 - Duet - Admiral and Betty - "As you have accepted my suggestion..."
- No. 13 - Concerted Number - Sin Chong and Chorus - "Little Japanesee if you wishee pleasee..."
- No. 14 - Song - Cornelia - "The only pebble on the beach."
- No. 15 - Finale Act II
Act III - Reggie's Snuggery in the Bungalow
- Nos. 16 & 17 - Prelude to Act III, and Song - Reggie - "You can't please everybody always..."
- No. 18 - Concerted Number - Sin Chong and Chorus - "When little boys and girls are good..."
- No. 19 - Song - Sybil - "Time was when my love was kind to me..."
- No. 20 - Song - Cornelia - "Down by an old plantation homestead..."
- No. 21 - Duet - Cornelia and Chippy - "Suppose we settle down and take a house in town..."
- No. 22 - Recitation Music (Betty) - "A Hint."
- No. 23 - Song - Admiral - "I've traversed the sea from a far distant shore..."
- No. 24 - Sextet - Sybil, Cornelia, Reggie, Chippy, Admiral and Betty - "We've got to settle the parson..."
External links
- Midi files and cast list
- Information, reviews and many photos of the original production
- http://books.google.com/books?id=uFIZAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA136-IA1&lpg=RA1-PA136-IA1&dq=%22The+White+Chrysanthemum%22&source=bl&ots=2vRqnmV4SL&sig=3wswxuOG7SFc_Mn1RBghezaIwxY&hl=en&ei=1QkjS8yOGpLQlAfHmfz-CQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CCEQ6AEwCTgU#v=onepage&q=%22The%20White%20Chrysanthemum%22&f=falseExtensive article about the original production in The Play PictorialThe Play PictorialThe Play Pictorial was an English theatrical magazine which was published in London between 1902 and 1939. It concentrated on providing a pictorial record of West End theatrical productions, each issue being devoted to a single show, with descriptions of the plot, the costumes and the sets, and...
, vol. 6, pp. 137–64, Greening & Co., Ltd., 1905]