Cirrus@Austlit

W. Arundel Orchard was a British-born Australian organist, pianist, composer, conductor and music educator.

Described by its composer as a pure music drama of the modern school, the libretto, adapted from Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890), was written in blank verse by W. J. Curtis and the dramatic organisation designed so as to afford scope for the dramatic and emotional changes needed to give freshness to the music ('Music and Drama.' Sydney Morning Herald 6 September 1919, p.8).

With regard to the score, the same critic writes:

Mr Orchard's prelude will open with soft chords for the lower strings, followed by a theme for the horn, reflecting the changeful Dorian's gloom and disenchantment. The next motif given pianissimo by the violins like a long drawn sigh will typify Lord Henry's darkly charming personality, and one of a more flowing character for violins will represent Sybil and foreshadow her distress. A strenuous crescendo for full orchestra will be divided by a few bars lull preparatory to a four not theme for the horns just as Dorian rises after his troubled sleep. These four themes form the kernel of the entire musical structure of the new opera throughout its three acts (p.8).

Cantata.

'Uller the Bowman" enshrines an episode in tho life of Uller the sturdy God of Winter, predestined to fall in lovo with the maiden Skadi whilst hunting. Their meeting in the forest, hor pitiful story of loneliness, their mutual love, the ensuing festivities, and a description of a Norwegian sunset, aro all included in tho well-planned poetic scheme of the librettist, W. J. Curtis ('Royal Sydney Liedertafel.' The Sydney Morning Herald 10 July 1913, p. 12).

The Sydney Morning Herald review records:

Mr Curtis has written an uncommonly good poem, in which the old Norse battleground of the gods and the giants is deftly and gracefully exploited… [while] Mr Orchard's music… has music vigour and picturesqueness where the descriptive passages are called for, while the love episodes of Scardi is handled with much feeling ('Music and Drama.' Sydney Morning Herald 1 February 1913, p.6).

A synopsis of the cantata is published in the Evening Post, Wellington (New Zealand):

Based upon Norse mythology, wherein the eternal conflict between good and evil is represented by the constant struggle for supremacy between the gods and the giants. The gods dwelt peacefully in Asgard, each in a golden palace, rejoicing in their power, while the Walkyries, clad in shining armour and mounted on white chargers, kept watch. Oller, the sturdy god of winter, who, heedless of winds and storms, made long journeys on his wondrous snowshoes over seas and lakes, lived in Ydalir, or "'Yew-dale," where grew the pliant yaw-tree, from which were made his deadly bows and arrows. The present episode tells how Uller, while hunting in the forest, meets and falls in love with Skadi, the beautiful daughter of the storm giant, Thiassi, whom the gods had relentlessly destroyed. It is considered that the atmosphere thus created fittingly lends itself to musical treatment for baritone solo and male chorus, in complete contrast with the music of the lone huntress (soprano), of whom the gods decreed that she should meet her lover a-hunting in the forest. After a brief prologue, in which the voice of the present invokes the spirit of the past, and bids the god live once more, the main part of the work begins with an indication of an approaching storm. This soon leads to Uller's arrival on silvery, snow tipped shoes, attended by the elements, of which he was lord and master. He then narrates his prowess in the forest, his protective care for the flowers and plants during winter, and his disregard of the raging storm. Ultimately his followers attend him, at the hunt. On they go to the chase, when suddenly the beautiful vision of Skadi appears. Her pitiful narrative (soprano solo) transforms the sympathy of Uller into fervent love. A description of a Norwegian sunset (male chorus) precedes the awakening of the storms and winds, who dance in honour of the marriage of their sovereign lord. The dance music begins with a dainty measure interspersed with subdued rumbling of the storm and weird murmuring of the wind, intermingled with the voices of the air. Later comes a movement of greater intensity and wilder in character, which is soon abruptly terminated by the imperious Uller, and immediately leads into the testive banqueting scene, with which the work concludes ('Mimes and Music' 2 Aug. 1913, p.11).

The second Orchard/Curtis collaboration, the first being The Coquette (1905), The Emperor is set in Rome during the time of the Caesars. The story concerns the adventures of a gladiator named Tintax who poses as a marble statue, and on revival is reverently recognised as Apollo by the credulous art-students. A sub-plot concerns Felicia who desires to marry Porus, and a sculptor, Serius, who has similar designs on Aurelia. They bribe the masquerading Tintax to break the authorised match.

Described as 'the event of the past month,' the work was seen by the Theatre Magazine critic as 'a very welcome addition to the brief list of Australian made operas.' Accompanied by Orchard's 'captivating music' the 'well defined... [and] genuinely witty' narrative is said to have proved amusingly effective.' The same critic went on further to record that 'Mr Curtis has written some excellent lyrics, and his dialogue is bright and pungent, and in the second act the lines on "life," previous to the quintette, have a sound philosophical ring, that shows that the author is a keen observer of human nature' (1 December 1906, p.12).

[Source: Australian Variety Theatre Archive]

Gilbert Cameron (a baritone) is in love with the indifferent Nanette (a soprano). In a fit of despair he joins the Suicide Club, and is selected to die at his very first ballot, but changes his mind and flies to Colombo. He (and for diverse reasons several others in the company), is pursued by the Suicide Club who seek his death. Eventually captured Gilbert is about to be put to death when the intercession of Lady Bloomsbury gains his reprieve by her suggested alteration of the Club's rules from 'and he on whom the Fates decide, within three months time must suicide' to 'must take a bride.'