Composer

:

Arthur Sullivan

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1898

Average_duration

:

121:09

The Beauty Stone is an opera composed by Arthur Sullivan, with a libretto by Arthur Wing Pinero and J. Comyns Carr. The opera was first performed at the Savoy Theatre in London on May 28, 1898. The plot of the opera revolves around a magical stone that has the power to make people beautiful. The story is set in the fictional kingdom of Arimania, where the king is searching for a bride. The king's advisor, the Grand Inquisitor, suggests that the king should use the Beauty Stone to find the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. The Beauty Stone is divided into three movements. The first movement introduces the characters and sets up the plot. The second movement focuses on the search for the most beautiful woman in the kingdom, and the third movement resolves the conflicts and brings the story to a close. The opera features a large cast of characters, including the king, the Grand Inquisitor, the queen, and a number of other courtiers and commoners. The music is typical of Sullivan's style, with catchy melodies and lush orchestration. The opera also features a number of dance sequences, which were choreographed by the famous dancer and choreographer, George Grossmith Jr. One of the most notable characteristics of The Beauty Stone is its use of the chorus. The chorus plays a significant role in the opera, providing commentary on the action and adding to the overall spectacle of the production. The opera also features a number of solo arias and duets, which showcase Sullivan's skill as a composer of vocal music. The Beauty Stone was not as successful as some of Sullivan's other operas, such as The Mikado and H.M.S. Pinafore. However, it was still well-received by audiences and critics alike, and it remains an important work in the history of English opera.

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