Ib and Little Christina refers to two theatrical adaptations by Basil Hood of the 1855 fairy tale by Hans Andersen of the same name: a play (1900) and an opera (1901).
Play The first version was a play subtitled "A Picture in 3 Parts", with incidental music by Arthur Bruhns, first produced at the Prince of Wales Theatre, opening on 15 May 1900 and running for 60 performances. It starred Martin Harvey and the nine-year-old Phyllis Dare.Wearing, p. 29 The piece transferred to the Coronet Theatre that summer."The Coronet Theatre", The Morning Post, 25 July 1900, p. 3 There was also a Broadway run in 1900.Information about the Broadway production, Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 30 November 2021 It was revived at Terry's Theatre in January 1903, playing for 16 performances, and again at Terry's in early 1904, for 31 more performances. The play was also revived at the Adelphi Theatre in September 1908, playing for seven performances.Wearing, p. 271
Opera
Hood rewrote Ib and Little Christina as an opera styled "A Picture in 3 Panels", with music by Franco Leoni. It was first produced by William Greet at the Savoy Theatre on 14 November 1901 and ran together with Hood's The Willow Pattern for 16 performances, until the end of November.The Times, 28 November 1901, p. 8 The libretto was published by Chappell & Co., and a copy is in the British Library at 11778.f.23(4) (1901).
The Times described the piece as "an opera of ultra-modern type" and compared it unflatteringly to the work of Arthur Sullivan, who had died earlier in that year."Savoy Theatre", The Times, 15 November 1901, p. 9 The Manchester Guardian later said that "the music, though clever and attractive in many ways, was too realistic and too Southern to reflect the Northern symbolism of Andersen's story, and that its peculiar vein of passion was out of place.""Music in London", The Manchester Guardian, 13 January 1904, p. 4 The piece was revived at Daly's Theatre from 11 to 13 January 1904, then transferred to the Lyric Theatre from 19 January to 5 March 1904, running for a total of 23 matinee performances.Wearing, p. 205; and The Times, 6 January 1904, p. 6; 8 February 1904, p. 8; and 5 March 1904, p. 10 The opera is not quite a full-length piece and is played in three short scenes.Walters, Michael and George Low. Ib and Little Christina homepage, Gilbert and Sullivan Archive (1996). Retrieved 30 November 2021
Opera synopsis Ib and his father are poor and live alone; Old Henrik and his granddaughter Christina are their neighbours. The two children are in love, and Ib is willing to sacrifice everything for her. An old gypsy woman visits Ib and grants him three wishes.
Fifteen years later, the children have grown up, and Christina is in love with John, a prosperous innkeeper. Broken‑hearted but faithful, Ib gives her up.
Seven years later, the marriage brought no happiness to Christina, who died in poverty. The gypsy woman brings Christina's daughter (also called Christina) to Ib, and they live happily together.
Roles and original casts Play, 1900Prince of Wales Play, 1900Coronet Opera, 1901Savoy Play, 1903Terry's Opera, 1904Daly's Play, 1904Terry's Play, 1908Adelphi Ib's father Charles Lander Charles Lander Henry Lytton Julian Cross Ivor Foster William Dunlop Albert E. Raynor Little Ib Vyvian Thomas Vyvian Thomas Laurence Emery Philip Tonge Louise Douste Roy Lorraine Bobbie Andrews Old Henrik, Christina's grandfather Holbrook Blinn J. H. Barnes H. Thorndike J. D. Beveridge Gordon Cleather George Mudie, Jr Phillip Hewland Ib's Mother/Gipsy Woman Mary Rorke Mary Rorke Isabel Jay Mary Rorke Susan Strong Irene Rooke Mary Rorke Little Christina Phyllis Dare Phyllis Dare Ela Q. May Doris Middleton Ela Q. May Winifred Winter Rita Leggiero Ib Martin Harvey Holbrook Blinn Robert Evett Holbrook Blinn Ben Davies Sydney Blow Martin Harvey John H. Nye Chart H. Nye Chart Powis Pinder Vincent Sternroyd Charles Bennett Edward Bonfield George Cooke Christina Eva Moore Louie Pounds Louie Pounds Daisy Thimm Edna Thornton Dorothy Drake Amy Coleridge
Source: The London Stage, 1900−1909, The Era, and The Stage.Wearing, pp. 29, 129, 205, 268 and 271; "Triple Bill at the Coronet", The Era, 28 July 1900, p. 8; and "The Adelphi", The Stage, 24 September 1908, p. 18
Notes
Sources
External links Libretto of the opera at the Gilbert and Sullivan Archive Translation of the Andersen fairy tale List of Savoy opera companion pieces