GILBERT AND SULLIVAN’S NEW OPERA.

Evening Star, Issue 6174, 26 December 1882, Page 4

GILBERT AND SULLIVAN’S NEW OPERA.

Messrs (filbert and Sullivan’s new comic opera will be graced by some of the most remarkable costumes ever seen upon the sta"c. Several of the characters in the, opera are supposed to be peers of the realm, and Messrs Lade and Sou, the famous London robe-makers, have been commissioned by Mr Gilbert to prepare robes of the most splendid kind. They will be of the same quality and make as worn by peers on State occasions. The robes will be of tiie finest velvet, of various colors, blue, crimson, green, etc,, and they will be trimmed with ermine, while embroidered satin vests and breeches, with silk stockings, and all other details of a State costume will he included, the most costly materials being employed throughout. Therefore, when these personages appear in the opera, they will lie dressed in exactly the same style as peers at a real court ceremonial. Other costumes, in which gold lace, delicate fringes, etc., are used, will he also very beautiful, and Mr Gilbert has personally superintended their production. As' the cost of some of these elaborate dresses will not be far short of LSO each, some idea may be formed of the splendor with which the new opera will be placed upon the stage. The initial performance of the opera is to be given at an outside London theatre probably Greenwich. On that occasion the cast of the principal characters will be as follows: Perola, Miss Jessie Bond ; Phyllis (tho ward in Chancery), Miss Leonora Braham ; Queen of the Fairies, Miss Alice Barnett ; the Lord Chancellor, Mr George Grossrnith ; Strephon (son of Lord Chancellor and Perola), Mr Richard Temple ; Lord Mount Ararat, Mr Rutland Barrington ; Lord Tollollo, Mr Duward Lely. The part of the Sentry, which lias a capital song, with the refrain—

Every little Briton which is horn alive

Is a little Liberal or Oonscrvafiiv, has been offered to M r Walter Browne, but it is not yet settled whether he will play it. There is no part in tho piece for Mr Frank Thornton. It was intended that he should remain as under-study lor Mr Grossrnith; but this position he has declined, and consequently he will sever for a time his connection with the Savoy Theatre.