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''Ruddigore; or, The Witch's Curse'', originally called ''Ruddygore'', is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy Operas and the tenth of fourteen comic operas written together by Gilbert and Sullivan. It was first performed by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company at the Savoy Theatre in London on 22 January 1887. The first night was not altogether a success, as critics and the audience felt that ''Ruddygore'' (as it was originally spelled) did not measure up to its predecessor, ''The Mikado''. After some changes, including respelling the title, it achieved a run of 288 performances. The piece was profitable,〔(Information from the book ''Tit-Willow or Notes and Jottings on Gilbert and Sullivan Operas'' ) by Guy H. and Claude A. Walmisley (Privately Printed, Undated, early 20th century)〕 and the reviews were not all bad. For instance, the ''Illustrated London News'' praised the work of both Gilbert and, especially, Sullivan: "Sir Arthur Sullivan has eminently succeeded alike in the expression of refined sentiment and comic humour. In the former respect, the charm of graceful melody prevails; while, in the latter, the music of the most grotesque situations is redolent of fun."〔[http://www.savoyoperas.org.uk/ruddigore/rud5.html ''Illustrated London News'' Review of ''Ruddygore'' dated [29] January 1887]〕 There were further changes and cuts, including a new overture, when Rupert D'Oyly Carte revived ''Ruddigore'' after the First World War. Although never a big money-spinner, it remained in the repertoire until the company closed in 1982. A centenary revival at Sadler's Wells in London restored the opera to almost its original first-night state. In 2000, Oxford University Press published a scholarly edition of the score and libretto, edited by Sullivan scholar David Russell Hulme. This restores the work as far as possible to the state in which its authors left it and includes a substantial introduction that explains many of the changes, with appendices containing some music deleted early in the run. After the expiration of the British copyright on Gilbert and Sullivan works in 1961, and especially since the Sadler's Wells production and recording, various directors have experimented with restoring some or all of the cut material in place of the 1920s D'Oyly Carte version. ==Background== . See also (this ). wayback" TITLE="Amédée Forestier's illustration of scenes from "Ruddygore" in ''The Illustrated London News'', before the name change. After ''The Mikado'' opened in 1885, Gilbert, as usual, promptly turned his thoughts to finding a subject for a next opera. Some of the plot elements of ''Ruddigore'' had been introduced by Gilbert in his earlier one-act opera, ''Ages Ago'' (1869), including the tale of the wicked ancestor and the device of the ancestors stepping out of their portraits. Heinrich Marschner's 1828 opera, ''Der Vampyr'', involves a Lord Ruthven who must abduct and sacrifice three maidens or die.〔Charnell-White, Michael. "The Black Arts", ''The Musical Times'', July 1992, pp. 327–28〕 Locals claim that the Murgatroyd ancestors in ''Ruddigore'' are based on the Murgatroyd family of East Riddlesden Hall, West Yorkshire.〔(Article claiming that Murgatroyd family of East Riddlesden Hall is basis for Ruddigore's Murgatroyds ). See also (this ). wayback">url=http://archive.cravenherald.co.uk/2003/10/17/106736.html p://math.boisestate.edu/gas/ruddigore/html/intro.html Information about Ruddigore from the book "Tit-Willow or Notes and Jottings on Gilbert and Sullivan Operas" by Guy H. and Claude A. Walmisley]〕 There is a priggishly good-mannered poor-but-virtuous heroine, a villain who carries off the maiden, a hero in disguise and his faithful old retainer who dreams of their former glory days, the snake-in-the-grass sailor who claims to be following his heart, the wild, mad girl, the swagger of fire-eating patriotism, ghosts coming to life to enforce a curse,〔Although the dramatic ghost music has become a popular feature of productions of ''Ruddigore'', W. S. Gilbert wrote that he wished that the music had been more comic. See Stedman, p. 242〕 and so forth. But Gilbert, in his customary topsy-turvy fashion, turns the moral absolutes of melodrama upside down: The hero becomes evil, the villain becomes good, and the virtuous maiden changes fiancés at the drop of a hat. The ghosts come back to life, foiling the curse, and all ends happily. Sullivan delayed in setting ''Ruddigore'' to music through most of 1886. He had committed to a heavy conducting schedule and to compose a cantata, ''The Golden Legend'', for the triennial Leeds Music Festival in October 1886.〔Jacobs, pp. 226 and 245〕 He also was squiring Fanny Ronalds to numerous social functions. Fortunately, ''The Mikado'' was still playing strongly, and Sullivan prevailed on Gilbert to delay production of ''Ruddigore''.〔Baily, p. 289〕 He got down to business in early November, however, and rehearsals began in December.〔Jacobs, p. 246〕 During the Act II ghost scene, it would be impossible for the cast to see Sullivan's baton when the stage was darkened for the Ancestors' reincarnation. A technological solution was found: Sullivan used a glass tube baton containing a platinum wire that glowed a dull red.〔Baily, p. 293〕 The opera encountered some criticism from audiences at its opening on 22 January 1887, and one critic wondered if the libretto showed "signs of the failing powers of the author".〔("Gilbert and Sullivan's New Opera", ''The Monthly Musical Record'' ), 1 February 1887, 17, pp. 41–42, Retrieved on 17 June 2008〕 After a run shorter than any of the earlier Gilbert and Sullivan operas premiered at the Savoy except ''Princess Ida'', ''Ruddigore'' closed in November 1887, to make way for a revival of ''H.M.S. Pinafore''. To allow the revival of the earlier work to be prepared at the Savoy, the last two performances of ''Ruddigore'' were given at the Crystal Palace, on 8 and 9 November.〔"At the Play", ''(Observer )]'', 6 November 1887, p. 2 and ''The Times'', 8 November 1887, p. 1〕 It was not revived in the lifetimes of the composer or author. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ruddigore」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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