On Thursday, June 19, 1890, The Times announced:

Sir Arthur Sullivan is passing the summer at Weybridge in order to devote his time entirely to the score of his new opera, of which the libretto, founded on Sir Walter Scott’s “Ivanhoe,” has been written by Mr. Julian Sturgiss (sic). Mr. Ben Davies will sustain the title rôle, and Mr. Oudin will play the Templar, the music for which part is being specially composed for him. It is hoped that the work will be produced during the month of November at Mr. D’Oyly Carte’s new theatre.

Ivanhoe, Sullivan's only Grand Opera, with libretto by Julian Sturgis, eventually opened at Carte's new theatre, The Royal English Opera House, on 31 January, 1891.

• Introduction

• Plot Summary

• Notes on the Music by David Lyle

• Libretto: Submitted by Clifton Coles — text or PDF format.

• The Music:
  • Discography: Marc Shepherd's Ivanhoe Discography.
  • Vocal Score:
    • Download: Andrew Smith has given us a downloadable version of the Ivanhoe vocal score in PDF Format. This score is a scanned image and is broken into several PDF files for ease of downloading.
    • Full Score published by The Amber Ring. Parts also available.
    • Purchase: The vocal score for Ivanhoe can be purchased from Christopher Browne's Gilbert & Sullivan Catalogue.
    • Rent: Vocal scores and libretti of Ivanhoe may be rented from St. David's Players of Cullompton, Exeter, England. Send queries to Ian Bond at Ian@kentisview.freeserve.co.uk.
  • Web Opera: Midi files of all the music and an illustrated libretto.

• Productions
  • Programmes:
    • From the second inaugural performance conducted by the composer.
    • From the original production
    • For the 100th performance
      
  • Account of the composition and original production by Hermann Klein.
  • Announcement of the cast from The Times
  • Recollections of Ivanhoe and other works by Sir Henry Wood.
  • Sketches of the Royal English Opera House and the first production of Ivanhoe.
  • Illustrations from The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, February 1891.
  • Thomas Beecham's account of the 1910 revival.
  • The 1929 BBC broadcast and Klein's accompanying introduction to the opera from Radio Times, 22 March 1929
  • Reviews
    • Comment in Music in 1890 from The Times
    • First notice of the production from The Times
    • Second notice of the production from The Times
    • The 100th Performance from The Times
    • The "Revival" from The Times
    • Comment in Music in 1891 from The Times
    • Review of Beecham's 1910 revival from The Times

Thanks to Tyson Vick for providing the title image for this opera.

   Page updated September 23, 2021

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