Production History
The original run of Patience in London, split across two theatres, was the second longest of the Gilbert and Sullivan series, eclipsed only by The Mikado. Its first London revival was in 1900, making it the last of the revivals for which all three partners (Gilbert, Sullivan, and D'Oyly Carte) were alive. Gilbert admitted some doubts as to whether the æsthetic subject would still be appreciated, years after the fad had died out. Gilbert wrote to Sullivan after the premiere of this revival (which the composer was too ill to attend), "The old opera woke up splendidly." (Allen 1975, p. 461).
In the British provinces, Patience played – either by itself, or in repertory – continuously from summer 1880 to 1885, then again in 1888. It rejoined the touring repertory in 1892 and was included in every season until 1955–56. New costumes were designed in 1918 by Hugo Rumbold, and a new production debuted on 28 January 1957. The opera returned to its regular place in the repertory, apart from a break in 1962–63. Late in the company's history, it toured a reduced set of operas to reduce costs. Patience had its final D'Oyly Carte performances in April 1979 and was left out of the company's last three seasons of touring.
In America, Richard D'Oyly Carte mounted a production at the Standard Theatre in September 1881, six months after the London premiere. Unlike H.M.S. Pinafore, there were no "pirated" productions before the official version opened, although there were several afterwards, including one starring Lillian Russell. In Australia, its first authorised performance was on 26 November 1881 at the Theatre Royal, Sydney, produced by J. C. Williamson.
Patience entered the repertory of the English National Opera in 1969, in an acclaimed production with Derek Hammond-Stroud as Bunthorne. The production was later mounted in Australia and was preserved on video as part of the Brent Walker series. In 1984, ENO also took the production on tour to the Metropolitan Opera House, in New York City.
The following table shows the history of the D'Oyly Carte productions in Gilbert's lifetime:
| Theatre | Opening Date | Closing Date | Perfs. | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opera Comique | 23 April 1881 | 8 October 1881 | 170 | |
| Savoy Theatre | 10 October 1881 | 22 November 1882 | 408 | |
| Standard Theatre, New York | 22 September 1881 | 23 March 1882 | 177 | Authorised American production |
| Savoy Theatre | 7 November 1900 | 20 April 1901 | 150 | First London revival |
| Savoy Theatre | 4 April 1907 | 24 August 1907 | 51 | First Savoy repertory season; played with three other operas. Closing date shown is of the entire season. |
Read more about this topic: Bunthorne
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