Ages Ago

in 1870 and again in 1874.

Background

By the 1850s, the London stage had fallen into disrepute. Shakespeare was played, but most of the entertainments consisted of poorly translated French operettas, risque burlesques and incomprehensible broad farces. [ [http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/books/bond/introduction.htm Introduction to "Ages Ago",] The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive] To bring family-friendly entertainment back to the theatre, Thomas German Reed and his wife Priscilla opened their Gallery of Illustration in 1855 and brought in Gilbert in 1869 as one of their playwrights. The Gallery of Illustration was a 500-seat theatre with a small stage that only allowed for four or five characters with accompaniment by a piano, harmonium and sometimes a harp.

", with music by Reed himself, Gilbert paired with Clay on "Ages Ago", the first of a successful series of collaborations between the author and composer that would continue for the next seven years. In the eight months between the productions of "No Cards", and "Ages Ago", Gilbert's dramatic style had developed. "Ages Ago", with its double-layered plot and its complex relationships among the characters, is more sophisticated than "No Cards", which was a simple farce. In addition, the lyrics move the plot forward more than in the earlier work. "Ages Ago". [Crowther, Andrew. [http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/other_gilbert/ages_ago/crowther_analysis.html Analysis of "Ages Ago",] The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive]

"Ages Ago" earned glowing praise from the critics, outran its companion piece, the popular "Cox and Box", and was frequently revived over the next decade. It was Gilbert's and the Gallery's greatest success to that date, running for 350 performances in 1869. [ [http://www.musicweb-international.com/garlands/101.htm Information about "Ages Ago"] MusicWebInternational.com] It was revived several times thereafter and is still performed occasionally. At the 1874 revival, Mrs. German Reed, Leonora Braham, Alfred Reed, Stanley Betjeman, Corney Grain, and the piece itself all received warm praise from the "Era"'s critic. [ [http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/StGeorgesHallLanghamPlaceLondon.htm St Georges Hall,] ArthurLloyd theatre website]

Gilbert produced four more pieces for Reed, including "A Sensation Novel" in 1871 and "Eyes and No Eyes" in 1875. He also wrote several comic operas with Clay, the last of which was "Princess Toto" in 1876. Thomas German Reed played Ebenezer Tare, while his wife played Mrs. MacMotherly. The piece also introduced Fanny Holland, who would play in many pieces for the German Reeds for years to come.

At a rehearsal for "Ages Ago", Clay formally introduced the composer Arthur Sullivan to Gilbert. [William Archer. [http://books.google.com/books?id=KGBLAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA106&vq=Gilbert#PPA125,M1 "Real Conversations",] pp. 124-25 (1904)] The two would later collaborate on a series of fourteen comic operas that became the most enduring pieces of musical theatre from the Victorian era. Gilbert would later reuse many ideas and plot elements from these earlier works in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

ynopsis

In the haunted Scottish Castle of Glen Cockaleekie, where the title deed to the castle, much like "Brigadoon", is only ever found once every hundred years, Ebenezer Tare has decided that, as "possession is nine-tenths of the law," he might as well be in possession of it until such time as the deed shows up again. Being the type of a Victorian money-grubbing elderly relative, he refuses to let his niece Rosa marry her poor suitor, Columbus Hebblethwaite, who is staying for the night. The Scottish housekeeper, Mrs. MacMotherly, has second sight. She tells a tale of the original wicked Sir Roger Bohun (similarly to Dame Hannah's tale in Gilbert and Sullivan's later "Ruddigore").

That night, the paintings of the castle's former owners come to life and step out of their frames (as would happen again in "Ruddigore"). However, a problem ensues: They were all painted at different ages, so Lord Carnaby, painted at age 65, lusts after his grandmother (Lady Maud), painted at age 17. Eventually, though, and after some wrangling, Dame Cherry and Lord Carnaby settle into middle-aged affection, while the "old" young people pair off romantically and get a painting of a solicitor to marry them. At daybreak, they then return to their frames, leaving the deed behind, which gives the property to Hebblethwaite, the poor suitor. He strikes a deal whereby Tare is allowed to stay on if he permits him to marry Rosa, and all ends happily.

Roles

*Sir Ebenezer Tare of the firm of Tare and Tret, Alderman and Tallow Chandler, later Lord Carnaby Poppytop (baritone) – Thomas German Reed [Gänzl, p. 19, gives cast information]
*Rosa (his niece), later Lady Maud (soprano) – Fanny Holland
*Mrs. MacMotherly, later Dame Cherry Maybud (contralto) – Priscilla German Reed
*Mr. Columbus Hebblethwaite, later Sir Cecil Blount (tenor) – Arthur Cecil
*Steward later Brown (bass)
*Lady Maud de Bohun, Born 1445
**Came into possession 1469 (Edward IV)
**Painted by Leonardo da Vinci 1472 (Aged 17)
**Died 1473 (Louis XI)
*Sir Cecil Blount, Born 1540 (Elizabeth I)
**Painted by Michael Angelo 1560 (Aged 20)
**Came into possession 1569 (Henry II to IV)
**Died 1579
*Lord Carnaby Poppytop, Born 1648
**Came into possession 1669 (Queen Anne)
**Painted by Godfrey Kneller 1713 (Aged 65)
**Died 1720
*Dame Cherry Maybud, Born 1730
**Came into possession 1769 (George III)
**Painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds 1785 (Aged 55)
*Lady Maud -- Picture Costume tenth year of Edward IV
*Sir Cecil -- Picture Costume second year of Elizabeth I
*Lord Carnaby -- Last year of Queen Anne's reign
*Dame Cherry -- Twenty-fifth year of George III
*Brown -- Late 19th century Cockney Dress.

Musical numbers

The numbering of the songs follows that in the vocal score. The printed libretto does not include the songs through number 4, and numbers the song labeled as song 5 below as song 1. Thus, to determine the number given to a song in the printed libretto, subtract 4 from the number assigned to that song below.

*No. 1, " Prelude"
*No. 2, Goodbye, Goodbye
*No. 3, When nature sleeps
*No. 4, Eh! What is that ye say
*No. 5, Ha! What was that
*No. 6, It does perplex, annoy and vex
*No. 7, We fly to fields of fancy
*No. 8, Entr'acte and Recit: I breathe, I live
*No. 9, Moments so fleeting
*No. 10, Would you know that maiden fair
*No. 11, In pity tell, O Lady mine
*No. 12, I stand on my authority
*No. 13, At twenty-three Lord Carnaby
*No. 14, 'Tis Done, the spell is broken
*No. 15, The subject drop (Finale)

Notes

References

* Chapter 6.
*
* Gänzl, Kurt. "The British Musical Theatre", Vol.1 1865-1914, Basingstoke, The Macmillan Press, 1986 ISBN 0-333-39839-4
*
* (with an introduction by Stedman)

External links

* [http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/other_gilbert/html/ages_ago_home.html Ages Ago] at the [http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/ Gilbert and Sullivan Archive]
* [http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/other_gilbert/ages_ago/operhome.html Song list and links to Midi files]
* [http://www.concentric.net/~Oakapple/gasdisc/ages_ago.htm "Ages Ago"] at the G&S Discography
* [http://www.musicweb-international.com/garlands/101.htm Profile of Frederic Clay]