Cowen's operetta "Garibaldi or the rival patriots".

[alberto]

I wonder if some friend in the forum may write something about Cowen's (childish) operetta "Garibaldi". Thanks in advance!

[albion]

The work of a precocious eight-year-old, Garibaldi was written with the aid of the singer, composer and friend of the family Henry Russell (1812-1900) who wrote down the melodies that Cowen played on the piano and harmonised them. The libretto was by Cowen's teen-age cousin Rosalind and the operetta was first performed, with Cowen at the piano, on 4th February 1860 at Cowen's house 11 Warwick Crescent, Maida Hill, London. A vocal score was privately printed by Boosey (there are copies in the British Library, Cambridge Universirty Library and the Bodleian Library, Oxford). In two acts, each of five scenes, the characters (all sung by children) were -

"Garibaldi (the Italian General)
Pietro (his Aide-de-camp)
Leopold (the Austrian Commander)
Carlo (an Italian Officer)
Theresa (an Austrian Lady)
Catherine (her companion and attendant)"

together with a chorus of peasants and soldiers.

According to Cowen (reminiscing in 1913) "The plot had really little or nothing to do with [Garibaldi's] life or career" and Rosalind stated in the printed score that "the authoress is well aware that Garibaldi is married, and has only made use of his name to give more interest to the plot" (which presumably included some romantic tangle involving Garibaldi and Theresa).

When Garibaldi visited London in 1864 he went to Her Majesty's Theatre for a performance of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia. Cowen's father obtained permission for his son to be presented to him -

"I was shown into the hero's box, made my best bow, and handed him an elegant bound copy of my chef d'oeuvre. His appearance was very striking, with the supple frame, clear blue eyes, light brown beard, and bronzed complexion which everyone knows so well from his pictures;  but I cannot now remember whether he wore the celebrated red shirt or was in evening dress. He did not speak English, and I did not understand Italian in those days, so naturally our conversation was limited; but he graciously accepted the book, shook hands with me, and seemed doubtful whether to be the more pleased at seeing his name in large letters on the title-page or amused at a boy's audacity in putting it there. This ended the interview. I have no doubt he forgot all about it the next day, or at least perhaps he took the book back to Italy with him and presented it to some street-singer, who put his own words to the melodies and sang them with the usual guitar accompaniment."

[alberto]

Thank You, Albion! A very fascinating post for me.

[JimL]

How precious!  Did he ever orchestrate it, I wonder?

[albion]

Did he ever orchestrate it, I wonder?

No.

May you suggest other english orchestral works dedicated to Garibaldi?

Erm ... not English, and not orchestral either, but ...



... very nice with a cup of Tetley's.

[Jimfin]

I'm also interested in the link with Henry Russell. He was the father of Sir Landon Ronald (ne Landon Ronald Russell) and composer of "A fine old English Gentleman" (whose melody is suggested in "Behold the Lord High Executioner") and "A life on the ocean wave". I think he had another distinguished son, who was considered American, whereas Ronald was considered British, Russell having lived in both countries

[alberto]

Does anybody know some (other) opera or cantata or orchestral/chamber work by non Italian composers (not necessarily British) dedicated to Garibaldi or to Italian "Risorgimento" (unification in XIX century). Thanks in advance for any suggestion.