This play seems, on the whole, to have been very much avoided by
musicians. There must be a certain amount of music in any work of
Shakespeare, but producers appear to have been content to use old stuff
and adapt it for this piece. +Noel Johnson+ wrote some very pretty
music for the Asche-Brayton production; but Sir Frank Benson's version
had hardly any music in it: just a dance (the beautiful Rigadoon, by
Rameau), a gavotte by Handel, and a song by Sir Henry Bishop, "Should
he upbraid"--words not from the _Shrew_, nor even by Shakespeare.
A musical version, chiefly by +Braham+ and +T. S. Cooke+, was produced
in London in 1828. But the really important work on the subject is
+Hermann Goetz's+ opera, _Der Widerspenstigen Zaehmung_, produced at
Mannheim, 1874, book by Joseph Victor Erdmann. This work is Goetz's
only complete opera, as, unfortunately for music, he died at the early
age of thirty-five, in the height of his powers. His _Taming of the
Shrew_ is still in the repertory of the German opera-houses.
The characters have the same names as in the play--Katharina and
Bianca, sopranos; Hortensio and Lucentio, bass and tenor; Baptista and
Grumio, basses; the Tailor, tenor; and Petruchio, baritone.
The work begins with a full concert overture, a capital number, which
would make an excellent opening for any production of the play. The
themes are bold, striking, and original, though the composer shows
throughout the {131} strong influence of Schumann. The opera is in
four acts, the first taking place in a street outside Baptista's house.
Lucentio, with guitar, is singing a sentimental ballad, occasionally
interrupted by Baptista's servants, who rush from the house singing
"The Devil is loose in the house." Baptista asks them what is the
matter, and the servants at once give notice on account of Katharina's
outrageous behaviour. There is nothing much of Shakespeare in this
act, but it makes a brilliant opening to the opera. Katharina then
comes on the balcony and tells the people how good she is going to be.
The neighbours all join in, and there is a beautiful bit of choral work
for principals, neighbours, and chorus. All exit except Lucentio; the
chorus in the house sing an unaccompanied sort of evening hymn, the
music dies away, the lights in Baptista's house go out, and Lucentio
serenades Bianca.
Presently she appears on the balcony, and they sing a beautiful love
duet, say good-night, and exit. Hortensio arrives to serenade her
also, and quarrels with Lucentio, and the pair of them make such a
noise that they waken poor old Baptista, who appears at the house door
in his dressing-gown, with a light, still wondering if he will ever get
any peace. Petruchio enters to a very blustering tune (the Petruchio
_motif_, I call it). They make themselves known to each other, and
Petruchio, in a beautiful and melodious song, describes his deeds in
the past, just as in the play, and says what a poor opinion he has of
the power of a woman's tongue. The act ends very happily, with
Petruchio promising to woo and win Katharina.
The second act starts with a short prelude, _sostenuto_ and slow, and
as the curtain goes up Katharina and Bianca begin their quarrel scene,
mostly on the former's part. Bianca produces a guitar and plays, while
her sister says she will live and die a maid. Petruchio enters and
woos the Shrew in a dramatic duet, and the act closes with a fine
_ensemble_ for the principals.
The third act opens, after hardly any orchestral introduction, with a
quartet for Bianca, Lucentio, Hortensio, {132} and Baptista, lamenting
the absence of the bridegroom. Katharina joins in, very scornful about
him, and the wedding guests enter, singing how difficult it is to have
a wedding without a bridegroom. Then comes the familiar lesson scene.
Lucentio sings the first lines of the first book of the _AEneid_, with
his own additions. Hortensio also sings to his guitar--a method of
music-teaching that even Bianca can see through; and then Baptista
enters, and, in a very lively number, gives the news of Petruchio's
return. He arrives, more bluff and hearty than ever, clad in eccentric
clothes, and hurries his bride-to-be to the church. The domestics of
Baptista's house sing a chorus, showing how glad they are that
Katharina is finally married and got rid of. The bridal party returns,
and Petruchio announces his intention of departing at once. The close
of the act must be very effective, according to the stage directions,
when properly done. Grumio brings in two horses. Petruchio springs on
one, Grumio rides off on the second, the chorus and principals singing
lustily the while.
The fourth and last act opens with a male chorus, Petruchio's servants
being bullied by Grumio, awaiting their master's return. The bridal
pair make a fine entrance, and, as in the play, the husband finds fault
with all the food, and sends it away. Katharina is left alone, and
sings a beautiful and pathetic soliloquy on her difficult position.
Grumio introduces the Tailor, and there is a very amusing quartet for
the four. After this the action is much hurried. The changed
Katharina arrives at her father's house; her father congratulates his
son-in-law on the admirable way in which he has reformed Katharina;
everyone is pleased, especially the servants of Baptista, and the whole
work ends with a joyous _ensemble_, making a very brilliant close to
the opera.
The opera was refused by innumerable managers, but was finally staged
by Ernst Frank at Mannheim, 1874, where its success was immediate and
decisive. The next year it was performed at Vienna, Leipsic, Berlin,
and other {133} German towns, and it was also produced in London at a
matinee at Drury Lane, October 12, 1878. In 1880 it was revived by the
Carl Rosa Company at Her Majesty's, Minnie Hauk taking the part of
Katharina. It very well deserves a revival at the present day. Every
note of it would be fresh to nine hundred and ninety-nine opera-goers
out of a thousand. All the parts are good, and ample scope is given
for brilliant singing.
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