Yeoman of the guard score pdf Continue For the British Military Corps, see Yeomen Guards. A scene from the 1906 film The Emename of the Guard D'Oily Carte The Revival of the Guard; or, Merriman and his maiden, is the Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W.S. Gilbert. It premiered on October 3, 1888 at the Savoy Theatre and took place in 423 performances. It was the eleventh collaboration of the fourteenth between Gilbert and Sullivan. The opera is set in the Tower of London during the 16th century, and is the darkest, and perhaps most emotionally engaging, Savoy Opera, ending with a broken heart of the main character and two very reluctant commitments rather than the usual numerous marriages. The libretto contains considerable humor, including many pun-laden one-liners, but Gilbert's trademark satire and topsy-turvy plot complications are subdued compared to other Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Dialogue, though in prose, is quasi-Shakespearean, or early modern English, in style. Critics considered the score the best for Sullivan, including her overture, which is in the form of a sonata, instead of being written as successive pot-pourri tunes from the opera, as in most other overtures of Gilbert and Sullivan. It was the first Savoy Opera using a large Sullivan orchestra, including the second bassoon and the third trombone. Most of Sullivan's subsequent operas, including those not composed with Gilbert as a librettist, use this large orchestra. The background of the 1883 poster is similar to the one Gilbert said gave him inspiration for the opera When the previous Gilbert and Sullivan Opera, Ruddigore, finished his work at the Savoy Theatre, no new Gilbert and Sullivan opera was ready, and for nearly a year the stage was dedicated to reviving the old successes of H.M.S. Pinafore, Pirates of Penzance and Mikado. In the years leading up to the premiere of Yeomen, Sullivan expressed a desire to leave his partnership with V.S. Gilbert to turn to the writing of the great opera and other serious works on a full basis. Prior to the premiere of Yeomen, Sullivan was recently praised for his successful oratorio Golden Legend and will produce his grandiose opera, Ivanhoe, just 15 months after The Yeomen. In the fall of 1887, after another attempt to interest his colleague in a plot where the characters, swallowing a magic pill, became what they pretended to be (Sullivan rejected this idea before), Gilbert made an attempt to meet his colleague halfway. Gilbert claimed that the idea for the opera came to him while he was waiting for a train in Uxbridge, and noticed an advertisement for The Tower Furnishing and Finance Company illustrated by Beefeater. On Christmas Day 1887, he read To Sullivan and Map his sketch of the plot for an opera set in the Tower of London. Sullivan was immensely pleased and, with great relief, he, writing in his diary, pretty story, not topsy turvydom, very man, and funny too. Although not a grandiose opera, Yeomen gave Sullivan the opportunity to write his most ambitious score to date. The two sets to work on the new opera, took longer to prepare it than they took with many of their previous works. Gilbert did his best to accommodate his colleague, even writing alternative lyrics to some songs. Sullivan had a hard time setting one lyric in particular, I have a song sing-o!, with its increasing length in each stanza. He asked Gilbert if he had anything in mind when writing. Gilbert hummed a few lines from the sea shack, and Sullivan knew what to do. As the premiere approached, Gilbert became increasingly apprehensive. Will the audience accept this serious, sentimental tone of one of the comic operas of the duo? Gilbert and Sullivan cut two songs from Act I and part of the Finale of Act I, partly to reduce the number of sentimental plays at the beginning of the opera. Gilbert, always nervous himself at the premiere, came backstage before the premiere to talk to some of the actors, inadvertently bringing his worries to the actors and making them even more nervous. Jesse Bond, who was supposed to open the show with a solo song alone on stage, finally told him, For God's sake, Mr. Gilbert, go away and leave me alone, or I can't sing a note! Raleigh Denny (Wilfred) and Bond (Fib), 1888 Sir Richard Cholmondley (pronounced Chum'lee), Lieutenant Tower (baritone) Colonel Fairfax, sentenced to death by (tenor) Sergeant Merrill of the Yeomen Guards (bass-baritone) Leonard Merrill, His son (tenor) Jack Point, strolling Head Jailer and Assistant Tormentor (bass-baritone or baritone) Headsman (quiet) First Yeoman (tenor) Second Yeoman (baritone) Third Yeoman (tenor) - see Cut Music Fourth Yeoman (bass) - see Cut Music First Citizen (speaker/chorus) Second Citizen (speaking/ chorus) Walking singer (soprano) Fibe Merrill, daughter of Sergeant Merrill (mezzo-soprano) Dame Carruthers, Housekeeper in the tower (contralto) Kate, her niece (soprano) Choir Yeomen Warders, gentlemen, citizens, etc. Synopsis Souvenir illustration from a staging of the New York Casino Theatre, 1888 Act I Phoebe Merrill sits behind a rotating wheel, sighing about the pain of love. Wilfred Shadbolt's chief jailer and assistant executioner in the Tower of London enters, and Phoebe mocks him, disgusted by his profession. Wilfred, who is in love with Phoebe, noticed her interest in one of the prisoners in the Tower, Colonel Fairfax. He gleefully conveys the news that Fairfax should be beheaded, for the crime of witchcraft, which is very Phoebe replies that Fairfax is just a scientist and alchemist (and beautiful in this) and leaves Wilfred to suffer from his love for her. Citizens and yemenis come, singing about the bravery and valiant actions of the Yemenis. Dame Carruthers, The Towers' housekeeper, rejects Phoebe's protests about Fairfax's innocence and, vexingly critical of Phoebe Towers, sings her praises. After all the leaves, Phoebe is joined by her father, Sergeant Merrill, who reports that her brother Leonard has been appointed Yeoman for his prowess in combat. Leonard is on his way from Windsor, where the trial is sitting, and can bring with him a reprieve for the colonel. Leonard Merrill enters with a send-off for the lieutenant tower, but without a reprieve. Sergeant Merrill wants to save Fairfax, because the colonel served with him in battle and twice saved the life of Sergeant Merrill. He hatches a plan: Leonard will hide, and Fairfax, jumping out of his cell, will take on the appearance of Leonard. Phoebe is accused of receiving a key from a Fairfax cell from a jailer, Wilfred. Fairfax is guarded under the Yeomen convoy. Sir Richard Cholmondeley, a lieutenant of the Tower, sees him and greets him with sadness, as they are old friends. Fairfax carries his impending execution boldly and philosophically, evoking tears from Phoebe and even Sgt. Merrill. Fairfax asks for the lieutenant's benefit: the charge of witchcraft was made by his wicked cousin Sir Clarence Poltwhistle, the secretary of state, who will inherit his estate if he dies unmarried. Therefore, he wants to marry his confessor to any woman available, it does not matter to whom, who will receive a hundred crowns for the hour of her marriage relationship. The lieutenant agrees and leaves. Gilbert Illustration I have a song to sing, O! Jack Point, a buffoon, and Elsie Maynard, a young singer, are chased by a rowdy mob that demands fun and threatens two strolling players. Elsie, objecting to the rude attention of the man, boxes the ears, giving Point a moment to calm and entertain the crowd. Two artists offer to perform the song Merriman and his Virgo: it tells the story of a love merry girl, whom the girl naked in favor of an arrogant lord, but he rejects her, and she returns to her knees for fun to ask for his love, and everything ends happily. The song is over, the crowd again becomes recalcitrant, and the violence is prevented only by the arrival of the lieutenant. Point and Elsie introduce themselves and explain that Elsie Bridget's mother is very ill and they are looking for money to buy medicine for her. The lieutenant offers Elsie the chance to earn a hundred kronor (a very substantial sum) by marrying a convicted gentleman immediately. Point, who is ever going to marry Elsie, is confident the groom will be beheaded immediately after the ceremony. Elsie agrees and blindfolded and led Wilfred secret ceremony. The lieutenant tells Point that he has a vacancy for the jester, and Point tells him about his skills and tries some jokes. The lieutenant leads Point to further discussion of employment. Wilfred returns Elsie from her anonymous meeting with the priest and prisoner and leaves her to reflect on her impending widowhood. Meanwhile, Wilfred wonders what they were up to in The Fairfax Chamber. Phoebe comes and seductively distracts him when she steals his keys, which she secretly gives to her father, who goes to free Fairfax from his cell. She keeps Wilfred busy until her father returns the keys, which she returns to Wilfred's belt, and leaves a confused and reassuring jailer in his fantasies to marry her. Merrill disguises Fairfax as his son Leonard. Yeomen come to greet Leonard, who insists that the stories of his bravery are exaggerated. He flounders when Phoebe greets him without being introduced to her, but Wilfred helpfully identifies her, telling Fairfax (with a strong dose of wishful thinking) that he, Wilfred, is engaged to Phoebe. He thanks her for taking care of her brother before marriage.