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Much Ado About Nothing is an opera in four acts by
Charles Villiers StanfordSir Charles Villiers Stanford was an Irish composer who was particularly notable for his choral music. He was professor at the Royal College of Music and University of Cambridge.- Life :...
with a
librettoA libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Julian Sturgis based on Shakespeare's play
Much Ado About NothingMuch Ado About Nothing is a comedy written by William Shakespeare about two pairs of lovers, Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero....
. It premiered to considerable success at the
Royal Opera House, Covent GardenThe Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
on 30 May 1901. The premiere cast included
David BisphamDavid Scull Bispham was the first American–born operatic baritone to win an international reputation.- Early life and family:...
as Bendedict,
Marie BremaMarie Brema was an English dramatic mezzo-soprano singer in concert, operatic and oratorio work in the last decade of the 19th and the first decade of the 20th centuries...
as Beatrice,
Suzanne AdamsSuzanne Adams was an American lyric coloratura soprano. Known for her agile and pure voice, Adams first became well known in France before establishing herself as one of the Metropolitan Opera's leading sopranos at the beginning of the twentieth century.-Biography:Adams was born in Cambridge,...
as Hero,
John CoatesJohn Coates was a leading English tenor, who sang in opera and oratorio and on the concert platform. His repertoire ranged from Bach and Purcell to contemporary works, and embraced the major heldentenor roles in Richard Wagner's operas...
as Claudio, and
Pol PlançonPol-Henri Plançon was a distinguished French operatic bass . He was one of the most acclaimed singers active during the 1880s, 1890s and early 20th century—a period often referred to as the "Golden Age of Opera".In addition to being among the earliest international opera stars to have made...
as Friar Abby.
Although rarely performed now, it was revived at the 1964
Wexford Opera FestivalThe Wexford Festival Opera is an opera festival that takes place in the town of Wexford in South-Eastern Ireland during the months of October and November.-Festival origins under Tom Walsh, 1951 to 1966:...
in a production directed by Peter Ebert
Sources
- Daly, Karina, Tom Walsh's Opera: A history of the Wexford Festival, 1951-2004, Four Courts, 2004. ISBN 1851828788
- Dibble, Jeremy, Charles Villiers Stanford: Man and Musician, Oxford University Press, 2002, pp. 334-335. ISBN 0198163835
- New York Times, Dr. Stanford's New Opera", 31 May 1901, p.9