AustLit

Operetta.

Australian-born composer George Clutsam raised his standing within British light opera circles when this collaboration with composer Hubert Bath and librettist Basil Hood premiered in 1916. The story concerns the patriotism and love, of spirit and adventure, of several famous names associated with England during the reign of Elizabeth I. Although a number of Australian newspapers reported on the London premiere in the week that followed, most were based on the brief information cable by their respective London correspondents. The par below, published in the Register (Adelaide) is typical of these reports:

A PATRIOTIC OPERA. LONDON, December 24. Mr. Basil Hood's patriotic three-act light opera, Young England, the music of which was written by Mr. Hubert Bath and Mr. G. Clutsam, has been given an enthusiastic reception at Daly's Theatre. The newspapers pronounce it a great success, and describe the opera as characerized by the breezy spirit of the old English romance. It introduces Admiral Drake and other Elizabethan heroes, also Good Queen Bess herself. The piece includes some stirring airs and dainty love songs. The [London] Referee describes the score as' of high scholarly quality, and says the music is "charmingly tuneful and graceful, the nearest thing to the late Sir Arthur Sullivan we have had for years" ("Patriotic Opera," p.9).

An extensive selection of songs from the opera appeared on gramophone records at the time, with the better known songs being : 'Sweethearts and Wives,' arguably the opera's biggest success ; 'I Love a Man' (Betty) and 'The April of My Heart' (George). The Age critic, writing of the 1928 Melbourne production, says in relation to the music : Extremely bright and skilfully designed, [it] has been composed... [by] two musicians who [know] how to be intelligible without being weak' ("Young England: Pleasing," p.11).