Thomas and Sally
Encyclopedia
Thomas and Sally is a dramatic pastoral opera
in two acts by the composer
Thomas Arne with an English
libretto
by Isaac Bickerstaff
. The opera was meant to be performed as an "after piece", which is a short musical work to be performed after a spoken play.
. The opera eventually premiered on November 28, 1760 at Covent Garden
and enjoyed a successful run. Thomas and Sally is one of only a few works by Arne that was not destroyed in the disastrous fire at Covent Garden
in 1808 and has occasionally been revived during the past century.
The opera made its Broadway
debut at the Little Theatre
on January 4, 1938 with Geoffrey Dunn as Thomas, Winifred Radford as Sally, and Frederick Woodhouse as the Squire. Thomas and Sally also has the distinction of being one of the first operas recreated for television
. The B.B.C. made a television production of the opera in 1937 with Joan Collier as Sally, Vivienne Chatterton as Dorcas, Henry Wendon as Thomas, and Dennis Noble
as the Squire.
is also unusual for a lighter opera of this period, as Arne included clarinet
s in the score which were usually only used in tragic pieces. The nautical themes in the libretto led Arne to compose a sturdy score that includes a boistrous hunting song for the Squire. Sally's songs are written in an opera buffo style.
Sally spurns the squire. Seeing that he has failed, Dorcas tries to help him out by advising Sally to celebrate her youth. Sally, however, remains firm in her devotion to Thomas.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
in two acts by the composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Thomas Arne with an English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Isaac Bickerstaff
Isaac Bickerstaff
Isaac Bickerstaff Esq was a pseudonym used by Jonathan Swift as part of a hoax to predict the death of then famous Almanac–maker and astrologer John Partridge....
. The opera was meant to be performed as an "after piece", which is a short musical work to be performed after a spoken play.
Performance history
The opera was initially scheduled to premiere in October 1760 but was postponed due to the death of King George IIGeorge II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
. The opera eventually premiered on November 28, 1760 at Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
and enjoyed a successful run. Thomas and Sally is one of only a few works by Arne that was not destroyed in the disastrous fire at Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
in 1808 and has occasionally been revived during the past century.
The opera made its Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut at the Little Theatre
Helen Hayes Theatre
Helen Hayes Theatre with 597 seats is the smallest Broadway theatre and is located at 240 West 44th Street in midtown-Manhattan....
on January 4, 1938 with Geoffrey Dunn as Thomas, Winifred Radford as Sally, and Frederick Woodhouse as the Squire. Thomas and Sally also has the distinction of being one of the first operas recreated for television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. The B.B.C. made a television production of the opera in 1937 with Joan Collier as Sally, Vivienne Chatterton as Dorcas, Henry Wendon as Thomas, and Dennis Noble
Dennis Noble
Dennis Noble was a noted British baritone and teacher. He appeared in opera, oratorio, musical comedy and song, from the First World War through to the late 1950s. He was renowned for his enunciation and diction, and for the metallic timbre of his voice...
as the Squire.
Musical analysis
Thomas and Sally is about fifty minutes in length and is notable in that it is the first English comic opera to be sung throughout. The orchestrationOrchestration
Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium...
is also unusual for a lighter opera of this period, as Arne included clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s in the score which were usually only used in tragic pieces. The nautical themes in the libretto led Arne to compose a sturdy score that includes a boistrous hunting song for the Squire. Sally's songs are written in an opera buffo style.
Roles
| Cast | Voice type | Premiere, November 28, 1760 (Conductor: - Thomas Arne ) |
|---|---|---|
| Sally, a milkmaid | soprano Soprano A 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... |
Charlotte Brent Charlotte Brent Charlotte Brent was a child prodigy and celebrated soprano singer of the 18th century.She was the daughter of Charles Brent , a Handelian counter-tenor, and fencing-master . She was a pupil and mistress of Thomas Arne and later the wife of the violinist Thomas Pinto... |
| Thomas, a sailor | baritone Baritone Baritone 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... |
|
| A Squire, infatuated with Sally | tenor Tenor The 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... |
William Mattocks |
| Dorcas, a matron | mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above... |
Vernon |
Act One
Sally is distraught over the impending loss of Thomas who is about to embark on a sea voyage which will separate them for a long time. The lovers tearfully say goodbye to one another. Meanwhile, the squire is infatuated with Sally but has not pursued her because of Thomas. Now that Thomas is gone, the squire decides to try to woo Sally under the encouragement of Dorcas.Sally spurns the squire. Seeing that he has failed, Dorcas tries to help him out by advising Sally to celebrate her youth. Sally, however, remains firm in her devotion to Thomas.