Difference between revisions of "Princess Ida, or Castle Adamant"
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== The original text == | == The original text == | ||
| − | + | This is musical comedy about a princess who founds a women's university to teach that women are superior to men, and the prince she had married as an infant, who sneaks into the university with friends to collect his bride. When discovered, a war between the sexes breaks out. | |
It was first performed at the Savoy Theatre on 5 January 1884 and had 246 performances. | It was first performed at the Savoy Theatre on 5 January 1884 and had 246 performances. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The book for ''[[Princess Ida]]'' was based on one of Gilbert's earlier plays, '''''[[The Princess]]'''''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_(W._S._Gilbert_play)], which is a blank verse farcical work, in five scenes with music, first produced at the Olympic Theatre in London on 8 January 1870. | ||
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| + | Gilbert's play had in turn been based on '''''[[The Princess]]''''' (1847)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_(Tennyson_poem)], a narrative poem (styled "A medley") by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred,_Lord_Tennyson]. Gilbert himself once described ''[[Princess Ida]]'' as a "a whimsical allegory ... a respectful operatic per-version" of Tennyson's poem []. | ||
==Translations and adaptations== | ==Translations and adaptations== | ||
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== Performance history in South Africa == | == Performance history in South Africa == | ||
| − | '''1893:''' Performed in the [[Opera House]] Cape Town by the [[Lyric Opera Company]], as part of their repertoire while touring the country at the time. | + | '''1893:''' Performed in the [[Opera House]] Cape Town by the [[Lyric Opera Company]], as part of their repertoire while touring the country at the time, and featuring [[Leonora Braham]]. |
| + | |||
| + | '''''circa'' 1900:''' Performed by [[Amos Bailey]] and the [[Woodstock Amateur Operatic Society]], Cape Town, in their newly contructed school hall as one of their [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] productions. The orchestra conducted by [[Frank Robb]]. | ||
'''1938:''' Staged by the [[Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society]] | '''1938:''' Staged by the [[Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society]] | ||
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Sullivan | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Sullivan | ||
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| + | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_(W._S._Gilbert_play) | ||
| + | |||
| + | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_(Tennyson_poem) | ||
| + | |||
| + | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred,_Lord_Tennyson | ||
[[D.C. Boonzaier]], 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in ''SA Review'', 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in [[F.C.L. Bosman|Bosman]] 1980: pp. 374-439.) | [[D.C. Boonzaier]], 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in ''SA Review'', 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in [[F.C.L. Bosman|Bosman]] 1980: pp. 374-439.) | ||
| − | [[F.C.L. Bosman]], 1980. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916''. Pretoria: [[J.L. van Schaik]]: pp. 130, 397-8 | + | [[F.C.L. Bosman]], 1980. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916''. Pretoria: [[J.L. van Schaik]]: pp. 130, 397-8, 423-4 |
[[Jill Fletcher]]. 1994. ''The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930''. Cape Town: Vlaeberg | [[Jill Fletcher]]. 1994. ''The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930''. Cape Town: Vlaeberg | ||
Latest revision as of 05:58, 5 August 2021
Princess Ida, or Castle Adamant is a comic opera by W.S. Gilbert (1836–1911)[1] and Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900)[2].
Popularly referred to simply as Princess Ida
Contents
The original text
This is musical comedy about a princess who founds a women's university to teach that women are superior to men, and the prince she had married as an infant, who sneaks into the university with friends to collect his bride. When discovered, a war between the sexes breaks out.
It was first performed at the Savoy Theatre on 5 January 1884 and had 246 performances.
The book for Princess Ida was based on one of Gilbert's earlier plays, The Princess[3], which is a blank verse farcical work, in five scenes with music, first produced at the Olympic Theatre in London on 8 January 1870.
Gilbert's play had in turn been based on The Princess (1847)[4], a narrative poem (styled "A medley") by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)[5]. Gilbert himself once described Princess Ida as a "a whimsical allegory ... a respectful operatic per-version" of Tennyson's poem [].
Translations and adaptations
Performance history in South Africa
1893: Performed in the Opera House Cape Town by the Lyric Opera Company, as part of their repertoire while touring the country at the time, and featuring Leonora Braham.
circa 1900: Performed by Amos Bailey and the Woodstock Amateur Operatic Society, Cape Town, in their newly contructed school hall as one of their Gilbert and Sullivan productions. The orchestra conducted by Frank Robb.
1938: Staged by the Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society
1943: Staged by the Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society
1961: Staged by the Cape Town Gilbert and Sullivan Society
1968: Staged by the Cape Town Gilbert and Sullivan Society
1982: Staged by the Cape Town Gilbert and Sullivan Society
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Ida
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_and_Sullivan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._S._Gilbert
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Sullivan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_(W._S._Gilbert_play)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_(Tennyson_poem)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred,_Lord_Tennyson
D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)
F.C.L. Bosman, 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp. 130, 397-8, 423-4
Jill Fletcher. 1994. The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930. Cape Town: Vlaeberg
Go to ESAT Bibliography
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