Original Listing Description

This is a rare December 26th, 1887 broadside (single page playbill) from the two-week, Post-Broadway engagement of the McCaull Opera Company in the REGINALD DE KOVEN and HARRY B. SMITH Hindu Comic Opera "THE BEGUM" at the Chicago Opera House in Chicago, Illinois. (The production opened September 21st, 1887 at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City and ran for 22 performances before going on the road.) ..... The ensemble cast included MATHILDE COTTRELLY, DE WOLF HOPPER, EDWIN W. HOFF, HUBERT WILKE, DIGBY BELL, MARION MANOLA, J. DE ANGELIS, HARRY MacDONOUGH, LAURA JOYCE-BELL, ANNIE MYERS, JOSEPHINE KNAPP, NINA BERTINI, GRACE SEAVEY and TOLIE PETTIT ..... Biographical Note: Henry Louis Reginald De Koven (April 3rd, 1859 – January 16th, 1920) was an American music critic, conductor, and prolific composer, particularly of comic operas, who helped establish the style of American light opera. De Koven was born in Middletown, Connecticut, but in 1870, when Reginald was eleven, the family moved to England, where he received the majority of his education. He graduated from St John’s College of Oxford University in England in 1879 and undertook various musical studies in Stuttgart, Germany. De Koven returned to the U.S. in 1882 to live in Chicago, Illinois, where he worked in a brokerage firm until his marriage to Anna Farwell, and later lived in New York City. In 1883, De Koven started a dry-goods business that became very successful. With the steady income, he was able to return to music. He was able to find scope for his wide musical knowledge as a critic with Chicago’s "Evening Post", "Harper’s Weekly", and the "New York World". Between 1887 and 1913, De Koven composed twenty light operas, beginning with "The Begum" in1887 (libretto by Harry B. Smith), in addition to hundreds of songs (over 450), orchestral works, two piano sonatas, and ballets. The following year he again teamed with Smith to compose the opera "Don Quixote". From 1902 to 1904, De Koven conducted the Washington, D.C. Symphony, which he helped organize. De Koven’s greatest success was "Robin Hood", also with libretto by Harry B. Smith, which premiered at the Chicago Opera House on June 9th 1890 but was performed all across the country and received more than 3,000 performances. It played in New York at the Standard Theatre in 1891 and in London the same year, retitled "Maid Marian", and it continued to be revived for many years. Many of his songs became popular, especially “Oh Promise Me” from "Robin Hood", with words by Clement Scott, which was one of the biggest song successes of its time and remains a wedding standard. (Reprinted in part from the Walker Home School website) ..... CREDITS: Music composed by REGINALD DE KOVEN (Professional Debut); Libretto by HARRY B. SMITH; Costumes designed by MATHILDE COTTRELLY; Staged by JOHN A. McCAULL; Produced by the McCAULL OPERA COMPANY ..... DETAILS: The single page, one-sided program measures 5 1/8" X 7 3/4" inches and includes production credits, cast list and synopsis of scenes, but no cast photos or bios. The backside is blank ..... CONDITION: With the exception of a small tear in the right edge and slight discoloration, this rare broadside is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.

Note: This item has been sold and is no longer available. This page serves as a historical price reference for Playbill collectors and appraisers.