3 October, 1891: Bertie’s Electrical Career, Part 3.
3 October, 1891 Tom Chappell called with message from Gilbert,decision of “making up” – promised to write to him.Sent letter to Teddington by Louis – dined at Garrick. Having returned from betting on horses, Sullivan is back in London, and suddenly, his diary becomes interesting! His long-time publisher and friend, Thomas Chappell is doing Yeoman’s […]
2 October, 1891: Bertie’s Electrical Career, Part 2.
1 October, 1891 Newmarket 2 October, 1891 Returned from Newmarket. 8.p.m. dined at homedidn’t go out ___ __ In Part 1 of this story, I did warn you that Sullivan’s diary entries during the First October Meeting at Newmarket can be very boring. But this will give us time to further relate the story of […]
29 September, 1891: Bertie’s Electrical Career, Part 1.
Since your humble diarist took some time off, today’s Sullivan diary entries come from two days, back-to-back: 28 September, 1891 Went to city – called on Sir J. Pender about Bertie. 29 September, 1891 Went to Newmarket (1st Oct: Meeting) to staywith Russie. wrote to Valabrègue etc. Bertie accomptme to station & went to see […]
Did Arthur Sullivan visit brothels? Part 4.
In this series, I have argued that, notwithstanding a scene in the movie Topsy-Turvy, the only assertions that Sir Arthur Sullivan ever engaged the services of a sex worker in a brothel were made by his 20th century biographer Arthur Jacobs, and that I find those hypotheses unsupported by today’s available evidence. But I have […]
Did Arthur Sullivan visit brothels? Part 3.
A prolonged longing? As I wrote in Parts 1 and 2 of this story, I believe that Sullivan’s biographer Arthur Jacobs erred when he suggested that Sullivan frequented a Parisian brothel at the address “No. 4 Rue M.T.” Instead, I suggested that Sullivan and his mistress Fanny Ronalds used that location for their own pleasures […]
Did Arthur Sullivan visit brothels? Part 2.
The Mystery in the Rue Mont-Thabor As we saw in Part 1 of this story, on 10 April 1882, Arthur Sullivan arrived in Paris in the early morning hours and checked into the Grand Hotel. At noon he “went to keep appointment at No. 4 Rue M.T.”, where he “stayed till 5.30 (2)”. The Rue […]
Did Arthur Sullivan visit brothels? Part 1.
In the first moments of the movie Topsy-Turvy—a film I recommend—an obviously ill Sir Arthur Sullivan is stimulated with enough coffee and morphine to revive him sufficiently to conduct the opening night of Gilbert & Sullivan’s comic opera Princess Ida. That history is well evidenced in Sullivan’s diary of 1884. Afterwards, Richard Carte and Helen […]
24 September, 1889: Research in action.
24 September, 1889: 1st Oct: Meeting Middleditch at 9. worked with him till 12.30.Then writing till 4. called at all[?] in Strand(to L.W.)& ordered nice Gladstone bag for Bertie’s 21st birthday present.left St. Pancras at 5 for Newmarket to staywith Russie Walker. When I chose this diary entry to discuss, I did not know it […]
23 September, 1888: Yeoman Rough Rider
23 September, 1888 Began sketching Overture – Mrs R. & Reggie arrivedat Euston 6.45 tired, all dined here at 9. It is 1888 and Sir Arthur Sullivan is about to complete his finest work of comic opera, The Yeomen of the Guard. This is obviously my opinion. But today he’s working on one of the […]
22 September, 1885: The Ulmar Paragraph, Part 2 – That scoundrel Byrne
22 September, 1885 Went to Rockaway races with Mrs R & Adele.got into the wrong train returning, went to Brooklynover the Bridge & by “L” Railway home. & dined at Delsat 8.30! Beastly wet day. It’s 1885 and Sullivan is in New York City, five days away from facing a scandal in the press (see […]