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The Worlds of Gilbert and Sullivan

The description¹ of The Beauty Stone is that of an original romantic opera. It is a somewhat serious opera and reflects this view. There is some ironic humour in the part of the Devil, but this apart there isn't so much of the usual G&S fun in the piece.

But then, it wasn't written by Gilbert & Sullivan. The libretto was by A W Pinero and J Comyns Carr. The music, however, was composed by Arthur Sullivan, and it has the stamp of his genius in it.

The Beauty Stone in the title is a talisman which makes people beautiful - no matter what their original station (room for discussion here?). It is used by the Devil to promote his own ends (discontent and unhappiness are suggested as possibilities).

Premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 28 May 1898, it had one of the shortest runs of the 'Savoy Operas'. It only lasted seven weeks, and it is said that Sullivan found the libretto somewhat disappointing². At about this time both Gilbert and Sullivan attended a revival of The Sorcerer. They took their bows together afterwards to tremendous applause. But Arthur said that they did not speak to each other because William was "mortally offended by The Beauty Stone"!³  Hurt memories of the previously declined Lozenge plot?

However, we hope you agree with us that it is lovely music and well worth a minute or two to give it another airing. Hope you like our arrangements of Laine's Prayer, included in this edition and (in due course) the duets: I Too had Seen a Star, and I Would See a Maid.

1.    Footnote: See Terence Rees & Roderick Spencer's wonderful anthology in the eventual MusicSmiles bibliography. Return to story.

2 & 3.    Footnotes: See that superb book by Leslie Baily The Gilbert & Sullivan Book, pp369 and 371. In the eventual MusicSmiles bibliography. Return to story.

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