SIR ARTHUR
SULLIVAN'S incidental music greatly enhanced the interest
of the production, in England, of the late Lord Tennyson's last dramatic
poem "The Foresters," on the 3rd ult., at Mr. Daly's new theatre. The happy
appropriateness of the graceful melodies and the merit of their simple
treatment can only be fully realised when the music is heard in connection
with the scenes for which it was written. The setting of the beautiful
lyric "To Sleep," the characteristic song "The Bee buzz'd up in the heat,"
with its descriptive accompaniment, and the numbers set for solo and chorus,
"There is no land like England," "By all the deer that spring," and "Evil
Fairy, do you hear?" gained immensely by the accompanying dramatic action;
the tableau of the Fairy's Chorus, removed from the end of the second
to the end of the third Act, being of remarkable beauty. Miss Catherine
Lewis, as Kate, sang with much archness "The Warrior Earl" and "The
Bee song" (transferred from the part of Marian); Mr. Lloyd Daubigny
made use of a pleasing tenor voice, and the choruses were excellently sung.
The performance of choir and orchestra reflected much credit on the Conductor,
Mr. Henry Widmer.
transcribed by Helga J. Perry, 16 December 2000