But Sullivan owed very
little to anyone. His genius was thoroughly his own and thoroughly
English, and in that lies his real value to posterity. For if we are
ever to have a national English opera, we shall get it by writing
English music, not by producing elaborate exercises in the manner of
Wagner, Verdi, Massenet, Strauss, or anybody else. Most great artistic
enterprises spring from humble sources, and our young lions need not be
ashamed of producing a mere comic opera or two before attacking a
full-fledged music-drama. Did not Wagner himself recommend a budding
bard to start his musical career with a Singspiel? It is safest as a
rule to begin building operations from the foundation, and a better
foundation for a school of English opera than Sullivan's series of comic
operas could hardly be desired.
In his younger days Sullivan had many disciples. Alfred Cellier, the
composer of the world-famous 'Dorothy,' was the best of them. Edward
Solomon was hardly more than a clever imitator. The mantle of Sullivan
seems now to have fallen on Mr. Edward German, who besides completing
Sullivan's unfinished 'Emerald Isle,' won brilliant success with his
enchanting 'Merrie England.' His 'Princess of Kensington' was saddled
with a dull libretto, but the music was hardly inferior to that of its
predecessor, and much the same may be said of his latest work 'Tom
Jones.
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