Robert of Huntington, afterward Robin Hood.
Sheriff of Nottingham.
Sir Guy of Gisborne, his ward.
Little John, }
Will Scarlet, }
Friar Tuck, }
Allan a Dale, } outlaws.
Lady Marian Fitzwalker, afterwards Maid Marian.
Dame Durden, a widow.
Annabel, her daughter.
[Villagers, milkmaids, outlaws, King's foresters, archers, pedlers,
etc.]
The scene is laid in England; time of Richard the First.
The first act of "Robin Hood" opens in the market-place of Nottingham,
where the villagers are holding a fair and at the same time celebrating
May Day with a blithe chorus, for Robin Hood's name is often associated
with that day. The three outlaws Allan a Dale, Little John, and Will
Scarlet, enter, and sing most lustily the praises of their free life in
Sherwood Forest, the villagers joining in chorus. The tantara changes to
a graceful and yet hilarious dance chorus, "A Morris Dance must you
entrance," sung fortissimo. The second number is a characteristic and
lively song by Friar Tuck, in which he offers at auction venison, ale,
and homespun, followed by No. 3, a humorous pastoral, the milkmaid's song
with chorus, "When Chanticleer crowing." This leads up to the entrance of
Robin Hood in a spirited chorus, "Come the Bowmen in Lincoln Green," in
which the free life of the forest is still further extolled. Another and
still more spirited scene introduces Maid Marian, which is followed by an
expressive and graceful duet for Maid Marian and Robin Hood, "Though it
was within this Hour we met," closing in waltz time. This is followed by
the Sheriff's buffo song with chorus, "I am the Merry Sheriff of
Nottingham," and this in turn by a trio introduced by the Sheriff, "When
a Peer makes Love to a Damsel Fair," which, after the entrance of Sir Guy
and his luckless wooing, closes in a gay waltz movement, "Sweetheart, my
own Sweetheart." In the finale Robin Hood demands that the Sheriff shall
proclaim him Earl. The Sheriff declares that by his father's will he has
been disinherited, and that he has the documents to show that before
Robin Hood's birth his father was secretly married to a young peasant
girl, who died when the Earl's first child was born. He further declares
that he reared the child, and that he is Sir Guy, the rightful heir of
Huntington. Maid Marian declares she will suppress the King's command and
not accept Sir Guy's hand, and Robin Hood vows justice shall be done when
the King returns from the Crusades.
The second act opens with a brisk hunting-chorus, "Oh! cheerily soundeth
the Hunter's Horn," sung by Allan a Dale, Little John, Scarlet, and the
male chorus, in the course of which Scarlet tells the story of the tailor
and the crow, set to a humming accompaniment. This is followed by Little
John's unctuous apostrophe to the nut-brown ale, "And it's will ye quaff
with me, my Lads." The next number is a tinkers' song, "'Tis Merry
Journeymen we are," with characteristic accompaniment, followed by an
elaborate sextette, "Oh, see the Lambkins play." Maid Marian sings a
joyous forest song, "In Greenwood Fair," followed by Robin Hood's
serenade, "A Troubadour sang to his Love," and a quartette in which Maid
Marian declares her love for Robin Hood and Allan a Dale vows revenge. In
the finale, opening in waltz time, the Sheriff is placed in the stocks by
the outlaws, who jeer at him while Dame Durden flouts him, but he is
finally rescued by Sir Guy and his archers. The outlaws in turn find
themselves in trouble, and Maid Marian and Robin Hood are in despair.
The last act opens with a vigorous armorers' song, "Let Hammer on Anvil
ring," followed by a pretty romance, "The Legend of the Chimes," with a
ding-dong accompaniment. A graceful duet follows, "There will come a
Time," in which Robin Hood and Maid Marian plight their troth. In strong
contrast with this, Annabel, Dame Durden, Sir Guy, the Sheriff, and Friar
Tuck indulge in a vivacious quintette, "When Life seems made of Pains and
Pangs, I sing my Too-ral-loo-ral-loo." A jolly country dance and chorus,
"Happy Day, Happy Day," introduce the finale, in which Maid Marian is
saved by the timely arrival of Robin Hood at the church door with the
King's pardon, leaving him free to marry.
Maid Marian.
[Comic opera, in three acts; text by Harry B. Smith. First produced at
Chestnut Street Opera House, Philadelphia, Pa., November 4, 1901.]