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y separately published work icon Bobadil : Comic Opera in Three Acts single work   musical theatre   opera   - Three acts
Issue Details: First known date: 1884... 1884 Bobadil : Comic Opera in Three Acts
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

Comic opera.

A comic opera that has also been described as 'opera bouffe', the story is taken from the Arabian Nights' story 'The Sleeper Awakened'. The storyline concerns Bobadil, a young Englishman who has fallen amongst the Philistines and been ruined by an Armenian money lender. He longs to be Sultan for a day if only to get revenge on his tormenters, a wish which by coincidence of fate he manages. The action also includes the swapping, disguising, and mistaking of identities, lust and love, escape from the executioner's blade, and of course, a happy ending. One review notes that the introductory section was not disimilar to Shakespeare's beginning in The Taming of the Shrew.

The opera's settings were:

Act 1. A Bazaar in an Eastern city;

Act 2. The Audience Chamber in the Sultan's Palace; and

Act 3. The Courtyard of an Eastern Lunatic Asylum.

The songs known to have been written for Bobadil are 'I'm a Man of a Very Old Nation', 'The Secret of the Rose is Sweet', 'Good Night' (unaccompanied quintette), 'Am I Sleeping' (quartet), and 'Ah Me! I would I were a Peasant Born' (sung by Princess Zorayda).

Notes

  • Bobadil was staged as the opening production for the Majeroni and Wilson Comic Opera Company' season at the New Opera House, Sydney in 1884. There were several references in the Sydney and Melbourne newspapers as to the popularity of Majeroni and Wilson's decision to place 'before the Australian public a musical work by an Australian composer...' (see Sydney Morning Herald 28 November 1884, p.2, for example).

Production Details

  • 1884 : New Opera House, Sydney ; 22 November 1884 - 12 January, 14 - 17 Feb. 1885 (45 performances).

    • Producer/Lessee Eduardo Majeroni and W. J. Wilson; Music Dir/Cond. Luscombe Searelle; Orchestra Leader Herr Küeter ; Scenic Art Alfred Clint ; Stage Manager George Leopold.
    • Cast incl. Charles Harding (Bobadil), George Leopold (Schacabac), Frances Saville (Lulu), Oliver 'Olly' Deering (Armenian Money Lender), F. Wentworth (The Sultan), W. P Morrison (Officer of the Guard), A. Davies (Prince Haroun) Gracie Plaisted (Princess Zorayda), Minnie Desmond (Widow Hanifer), Blanche Leopold (Picalil), Nellie Fernleigh (Gulnare), Florence Slater, Edith Leslie, Emily Delamare, Edith Walters, Mattye Darly, Mary Watson, Maud Rouse, Maud and Miss F. Larade, Edith Lemington, Carrie Walker, Elsie Wright, Miss E. Blanchard, Fanny Hall, Miss C. De Barrie, Ettie Ward, Maud Ashley, Miss H. Osborne, Miss Sinclair, Miss A. Hudson, Patty Laroche, Hettie Matthews, Susie Thomson, Katy Strong, Nellie Martin, Esther Payne, Pansy Blossom, Hettie Vane, Grace Simmons, Mr Costello, Mr Witworth, Percy Stuart, Mr Wells, Mr Reid, Mr Fenning, Mr Winter, Mr Moss, Mr Hutchins, Mr Oran, Mr Briggs, John Forde.
    • The forty or so extras played roles such as Guards, Chinese Ambassadors, Fruit Sellers and Amazons.
    • The company left for Adelaide immediately following the end of the Sydney season.

    1885 : Theatre Royal, Adelaide ; 7-20 March

    • Cast and production mostly as for previous Sydney season

    1885 : Bijou Theatre, Melbourne ; 9 May - 5 June, 2 July (24 performances).

    • Prod/Mngr. Eduardo Majeroni and W. J. Wilson ; Music Dir. Luscombe Searelle ; Scenic Art Alfred Clint ; Chor. Henry Leopold ; Stage Mngr. George Leopold.
    • Troupe: Majeroni and Wilson's Grand Comic Opera Company.
    • Cast incl. Charles Harding (Bobadil), George Leopold (Schacabac), Frances Saville (Lulu), Oliver 'Olly' Deering (Armenian Money Lender), John Forde (The Sultan), W. P Morrison (Officer of the Guard), Gracie Plaisted (Princess Zorayda), Ella Fenton, Mrs Ryan (Widow Hanifer), Ella Fenton, Blanche Leopold, E. Rosevear.

    1885 : New Opera House, Sydney ; 19-24 September.

    • Prod/Lessee Eduardo Majeroni and W. J. Wilson; Music Dir/Cond. Luscombe Searelle.
    • Cast incl. Gracie Plaisted, Ella Fenton [Ella de Fontaine], Miss L. Bolyne, Sophie Harris, Nellie Fernleigh, Blanche de Fontaine [aka Mrs L. Searelle], James Lithgow, W. Rosevear, Charles Harding, Edwin Lester, Oliver "Olly" Deering, W. P. Morrison.

    .

  • 1886 : New Opera House, Sydney ; 24-30 April, 12 June.

    • Prod/Lessee Eduardo Majeroni and W. J. Wilson ; Mngr. Eduardo Majeroni, W. J. Wilson and C. E. Moreton ; Music Dir. Luscombe Searelle ; Scenic Art Alfred Clint.
    • Troupe: Searelle and Harding's English and Comic Opera Company.
    • Cast incl. Gracie Plaisted, Ella Fenton, Miss F. Stanhope, Sophie Harris, C. Templeton, Percy Stuart, Charles Harding, Edwin Lester, James A. South, George P. Carey, Mr Whitworth, M. Winter.
    • 12 June performance incl. Thomas H. Rainford and Chris Johnson.

    1886 : Queensland Regional tour; ca. June/July.

    • Music Dir/Cond. Luscombe Searelle ; Stage Mngr. George P. Carey.
    • Troupe: Searelle and Harding's English and Comic Opera Company.
    • Cast incl. Thomas H. Rainford, Gracie Plaisted, Ella Fenton, Miss F. Stanhope, Charles Harding, James A. South, George P. Carey, M. Winter, C. H. Winter, W. Magnay, E. A. Lambert, Miss E. Leslie.
    • This tour was advertised as 'the first production in Queensland of the most popular opera ever produced in Australia' (Morning Bulletin 6 July 1886, p1).
    • Tour itinerary incl. Rockhampton (School of Arts) 6, 12 July

    1887 : Cape Town (Sth Africa), Luscombe Searelle's Opera Company.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

First known date: 1884
VIEW PUBLICATION DETAILS FOR ALL VERSIONS ()

Works about this Work

[Editorial] 1886 single work review
— Appears in: The Morning Bulletin , 7 July vol. 34 no. 4678 1886; (p. 5)
— Review of Bobadil : Comic Opera in Three Acts Walter Parke , 1884 single work musical theatre
New Opera House 1886 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 26 April no. 15003 1886; (p. 5)
— Review of Bobadil : Comic Opera in Three Acts Walter Parke , 1884 single work musical theatre A review of the 1886 Opera House, Sydney, revival of Bobadil.
Bijou Theatre - 'Bobadil' 1885 single work review
— Appears in: The Age , 12 May 1885; (p. 5)
— Review of Bobadil : Comic Opera in Three Acts Walter Parke , 1884 single work musical theatre Review of the 1885 production of Bobadil at the Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, beginning 11 May 1885.
New Opera House 1885 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 21 September 1885; (p. 5)
— Review of Bobadil : Comic Opera in Three Acts Walter Parke , 1884 single work musical theatre A review of the 1885 Opera House, Sydney, revival of Bobadil.
Opera House 1884 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 24 November 1884; (p. 8)
— Review of Bobadil : Comic Opera in Three Acts Walter Parke , 1884 single work musical theatre
Bobadil 1884 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 21 November 1884; (p. 8)
— Review of Bobadil : Comic Opera in Three Acts Walter Parke , 1884 single work musical theatre A preview of the forthcoming production of Luscome Searelle and Walter Parke's Bobadil, staged at the New Opera House, Sydney, beginning 22 November 1884.
Opera House 1884 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 24 November 1884; (p. 8)
— Review of Bobadil : Comic Opera in Three Acts Walter Parke , 1884 single work musical theatre
New Opera House 1885 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 21 September 1885; (p. 5)
— Review of Bobadil : Comic Opera in Three Acts Walter Parke , 1884 single work musical theatre A review of the 1885 Opera House, Sydney, revival of Bobadil.
New Opera House 1886 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 26 April no. 15003 1886; (p. 5)
— Review of Bobadil : Comic Opera in Three Acts Walter Parke , 1884 single work musical theatre A review of the 1886 Opera House, Sydney, revival of Bobadil.
[Editorial] 1886 single work review
— Appears in: The Morning Bulletin , 7 July vol. 34 no. 4678 1886; (p. 5)
— Review of Bobadil : Comic Opera in Three Acts Walter Parke , 1884 single work musical theatre
VIEW ALL WORKS ABOUT (6)

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This entry has been sourced from research undertaken by Dr Clay Djubal into Australian-written popular music theatre (ca. 1850-1930). See also the Australian Variety Theatre Archive
Last amended 9 May 2014 08:34:18
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