RUDDIGORE."

Evening Post, Volume XLIX, Issue 114, 15 May 1895, Page 2

RUDDIGORE."

♦ This opera is not eojwell known as most of the others of the important series of works connected with the names of Gilbert and Sullivan It is a burlesque, or rather satire or skit, on the absurdities and excesses of what is known as " transpontine inolocrama." Gilbert is particularly fond of waking sly hits at the extravagances of the stage, and in " Ruddigore " the whole construction of the plot and the charaotors themselves are intended as burlesques of this particular class of heavy melodrama. Wo have in it all the stock characters of this kind of play— the wicked baronet, the pure and blameless peasant, the simple village maiden, the Jack Tar (with hornpipe), the village dame, the faithful retainer, and mad Margaret, with strawi in her hair and a " mad scene." The plot ia highly melodramatic and improbable, the improbability being emphasized in a most bnmorous manner. It is needless to say the satire is of the purely Gilbertian kind. The characters are all iv earnest and unconsoious of their own absurdities. As Mr. Percy Fitzgerald, in his interesting work on the Savoy Opera, remarks :— " The prinoiple of common burlesque is t) take some natural and accepted story, and torture it onto wildly grotesque aiapas Gilbert adopts an opposite prinoiple -viz , to fashion an eccentric snperearthly story into shape, and deal with it ooheremly and logically, so as to compel our sympathies. Of the two methods it is easy to see whioh has the most art." Gilbert always insists than bis performers should go through their parts, no matter how absurd, as if unaware of anything unusual. A striking instance of this ocourred in thd original production of " Ruddigore " at the Savoy, in London. Miss Jessie Bond had a " mad scene," which is intended as a oarioature on the mad scenes of opera and melodrama. So seriously was this scene played that the audiences were visibly affected, many persona bring reduced to tears. As in several of Gilbert and Sullivan's operas, the supernatural element is introduced with ludicrous effect; the appearances of ghosts being treated by the other oharaoters as a most ordinary, everyday oconrrenoe ; and the ghosts themselves aoting as if they were ordinary mortals The great scene ocours where the pictures of the dead baronets in the pioture gallery of Kuddigoro Castle become animated and step - out of their frames. It is in this opera that the song oocurs whioh aronsed snot a storm of indignation in Franoe. The song itself is not intended to reflect on the French, but ii on the contrary an amusing burlesque of the brag or " blow " of the British Bailor ai depicted in nautical melodrama. The Frenoh, however, deolored it was intended as an insult to themselves, and great ill-feeling was shown. Thirty Frenoh offioers aotually undertook to bring the author to acoount. The musio of the opera is in Sir Arthur Sullivan's best style. It is unnecessary to say that he has exactly oaught the spirit of Mr. Gilbert's idea. For instance, the musio of the nautical song just mentioned is a splendid parody of the old-fashioned sailor ditty. The work is full of beautiful melodies and ooneerted pieoes, and there are several grotesque and humo'ons number*, Among the concerted items is a famous madrigal for two soloists, quartet, and chorus, in which Sir Arthur is at his best. There are also a rattling waltz-song for soprano, an elaborate Boena for Mad Margaret, and some beautiful duets and tnoi. The finale to the first aot is elaborate, and full of aotion and lively movements. The second aot is full of good things, a oomio "Salvation Army" duet between Sir Despard and Margaret, and a patter trio, being perhaps the most taking, whilst a lovely oontralto solo -for Dam* Hannah' is one of the lest' things Sullivan baa written. . The musio as a whole is oonnaered by the oritios as good m any of in* Gilberts Sullivan series. . ,