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The Worlds of Gilbert and Sullivan

Among some 30 operas Michael Balfe composed (rarely, if ever, performed today), his greatest success was The Bohemian Girl, words by Alfred Bunn.  The Bohemian Girl was a terrific hit at the time and two numbers endure to this day - I Dreamt That I Dwelt in Marble Halls (also known as The Dream), and Then You'll Remember Me (also entitled When Other Lips). Both became 'hit songs' of their day, and remain popular concert hall ballads to this day. 

The Bohemian Girl was a simple but very effective plot: Arline was stolen from her father (the Count) by gypsies when a little girl. She grows into a beautiful young woman who falls in love with (and is loved by) one of the gypsies. However, she remembers her past life in her dreams. She is eventually rescued and identified by her father who recognises a birth-scar on her body. All ends happily as her gypsy lover turns out to be an aristocrat in disguise!

The Bohemian Girl was one of Britain's favourite shows during the 19th Century. It was written in 1843 and topped the charts for more than half a century. It combined a sentimental story by Alfred Bunn, (based on a ballet-pantomime The Gypsy by Saint-Georges, that originally came from Cervantes' La Gitanella) with light operatic music.

Its success was enhanced by the fact that two of its songs became hit songs in their own right: I Dreamt That I Dwelt in Marble Halls; and When Other Lips. Both of which we have included here and hope that you will enjoy them as much as we have arranging them for MusicSmiles.

So shall we embark on: The Dream . . .?

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