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''The Starlight Express'' is a children's play by Violet Pearn,〔Dramatist Violet Pearn, born at Plymouth in 1890, was the author of many plays, and adapted several of Algernon Blackwood's tales.〕 based on the imaginative novel ''A Prisoner in Fairyland'' by Algernon Blackwood, with songs and incidental music written by the English composer Sir Edward Elgar in 1915. == Production == On 9 November 1915 Sir Edward Elgar was invited by Robin Legge, music critic of ''The Daily Telegraph'', to write the music for a children's fantasy play to be produced at the Kingsway Theatre that Christmas. The play was ''The Starlight Express'', an adaptation of a novel by Algernon Blackwood called ''A Prisoner in Fairyland'', by Blackwood and Violet Pearn. The baritone and composer Clive Carey had already started his own setting, but abandoned it when Elgar was commissioned.〔(MusicWeb International )〕 The producer was to be Basil Dean: but since he had been called up for army service in France, he was replaced by the actress Lena Ashwell.〔(Stage Beauty: Lena Ashwell (1872–1957) )〕 Elgar was soon shown the script by Ashwell and had successful meetings with her and with Blackwood. The story appealed to Elgar because of its similarities to the private fantasy world of his own childhood which he had depicted in the music he wrote for "The Wand of Youth"; his first thought was to re-use that music, and he wove many reminiscences of it into the score. He worked on it enthusiastically, and in just over a month had produced over 300 pages of score – songs and incidental music – in time for the rehearsals. On 6 December the two chosen singers, the Australian-born soprano Clytie Hine and baritone Charles Mott,〔(Elgar's Baritone by Charles A. Hooey ) – Charles Mott〕 rehearsed with Elgar. ''The Starlight Express'' was produced by Lena Ashwell at the Kingsway Theatre in London, as one of her high-quality wartime entertainments. The production was announced in ''The Times'', mentioning that the small orchestra pit of the theatre would be enlarged to accommodate a full orchestra.〔''The Times'', 30 November 1915〕 It opened on 29 December 1915. The premiere was to have been the conducted by the composer, but because Lady Elgar had suffered concussion a few days before as the result of a traffic accident, he stayed at home with her, and the conductor was the young Julius Harrison.〔Julius Harrison (1885–1863), composer and conductor (Philip Scowcroft on Julius Harrison )〕 It ran for only one month, closing on 29 January 1916. The reasons for the failure were inappropriate design of the characters and scenery by Henry Wilson (who had been chosen and his work approved by Lena Ashwell), and the difficulty Pearn had in making something theatrical with her adaptation of the book. Both Blackwood and Elgar had expressed misgivings about the design, and Blackwood had considered using his right to object and get a new artist. Blackwood objected to "this murder of my simple little Play ... Arts & Crafts pretentious rubbish stitched onto your music by a silly crank who has never read the play". Elgar agreed. This would have meant postponement of the opening. The critics who reported their view of the opening night, while praising the music and particular performers, remarked on the lack of substance to the story. The music did not deserve to be forgotten. Elgar negotiated with The Gramophone Company, and on 18 February 1916, the music was recorded on eight sides, with the songs performed by Agnes Nicholls and Charles Mott. Later that year the three Organ Grinder's Songs were published by Elkin, with a piano accompaniment arranged by Julius Harrison. 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「The Starlight Express」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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