Field Marshal Garnet Joseph Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley (4 June 1833 – 25 March 1913) was the sort of Victorian war hero who spent a lot of time away from his home and his wife, Louisa, Lady Wolseley. Hence, they exchanged many letters. After his death, Lady Wolseley asked a friend, Sir George Arthur, to review and filter their correspondence for publication after her death. This became a book, The Letters Of Lord And Lady Wolseley: 1870-1911, which you may read here.
The Wolseleys were not friends with Sullivan, but they did once visit his home in London as “after guests” at a dinner party Sullivan hosted on 6 July, 1884. On that occasion, they were frankly stooping, socially; although one dinner guest was the Duke of Edinburgh, the other guests spanned many levels of society. After dinner, there were singers, including George Grossmith, and a “conjurer (Cherry)” performed (“who was marvelous” according to Sullivan).
So perhaps we can take Lady Wolseleys’ review of Ivanhoe at face value. Writing to her husband on 6 March, 1891, she says (the emphases are hers):
On Wednesday, after dinner, we went to see Ivanhoe. It is a good spectacle, but the music says nothing to one. Sullivan, who can write catching tunes, is foolish to attempt what he can’t manage—a serious opera. He had better leave that to Wagner. As Mr. Goschen says, “It left me cold.” There are one or two good innovations. No curtain between the scene-shiftings. The house gets dark for a second, and when the light returns the scene is altered. Yesterday evening we went first to a “Cinderella” dance at the Aberdeens’. Then Mrs. Marshall Roberts’ ball at Spencer House. Miss Cornwallis West was there. She is very tall and very fair, had a very pretty profile, but flushes when she gets hot. Being hot is only becoming to some girls.
