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 […]
21 September, 1885: The Ulmar Paragraph, Part 1
‘Drove Miss Ulmar home O’ 21 September, 1885 Sent Miss U. some toothache stuff – Raging toothache. Hope she will be all right for Thursday. It’s 1885. The Mikado has been playing in London since 14 March, and it shows every sign of being Gilbert & Sullivan’s biggest hit show so far. Richard Carte, Gilbert, […]
20, September 1887: Shooting season!
20, September 1887 Mrs Huyshe, Martins, Wagg, Dicey, and Dresden arrdIll in bed & could not see them. It’s 1887. Ruddigore opened at the Savoy Theatre last 22 January. It’s been nearly a year since Sullivan conducted the premiere of his cantata The Golden Legend at the Leeds Music Festival of 1886. Now he’s scheduled […]
19 September, 1900: Adieu Paris
‘but my throat no better’ Left Paris by 11.50 from Gare du Nord. Nice warm day, but my throatno better. arr: home 7.30. Found the house fresh & clean anddelightful as usual after an absence. Bend: waiting for me atVictoria. didn’t go out again. It’s 1900. Today Sullivan is returning home to London from a […]
18 September, 1892: A mad dash to Haddon Hall
18 September, 1892 Quiet all day – wrote song for Barrington (No 10)Gdma, Auntie & Beaumont dined here. In 1892 Sullivan produced a light opera with a writer other than W.S. Gilbert for the first time since 1875. Gilbert & Sullivan had split up two years previously. Since then, Sullivan had created his only grand […]
17 September, 1896: Zero F***s given!
17 September, 1896 Buda Pest. and Vienna. Very hot. After breakfast called on the Hawthorn girls.Bertie, George Arthur & self left Pest at 2. awfullyhot in train. arr: Vienna 6.30 – back to H. ImperialHad tea & went to see a ballet at The Opera “Robert andBertrand” – our old friend R. Macaire – not […]
From the diaries: Did Sullivan worry about Princess Ida?
Was Sullivan concerned about the potential success of Princess Ida? The short answer is: no. At least not that he records in his diary. Princess Ida had a strangely elongated gestation period, compared to most of the other shows. On Feb. 8, 1883, Sullivan and Gilbert both agreed to a five-year contract with Carte to keep […]