The Merry Monarch
A Comic Opera in Comic Acts. Original French libretto ("L'Etoile"I° [The Star of Fate] by Eugene Leterrier and Albert Vanloo. American adaptation by J. Cheever Goodwin. Music by Woolson Morse. Orchestration by John Philip Sousa. NB: The original French score by Emmanuel Chabrier was discarded although credited. Original production billed as a Christmas Pantomime.
Broadway Theatre, New York - 18th August - 4th October, 1890 (49 perfs).
Musical Numbers
Act 1
- Opening Chorus (Gaily, gaily, let us sing) Chorus
- "Cash" (Quartette) - Plunkett, Lilita, Aloes,Tapioca
- "When I Was a Child of Three" (Ballad) - Lilita, Plunkett, Aloes,Tapioca
- "For Thy Dear Sake" (Duet) - Aloes,Tapioca
- "Vanity Drives Them All to Me" (Rondeau)- Lazuli
- "Star Song" - Lazuli
- "(I'm a) King with a Capital K" (Song) - King Anso
- Ensemble (Believe me! you've done a most courageous thing) - Principals, Chorus
- "The Fatal Chair" (Couplets) - King Anso, Chorus
- Finale - King Anso, Lazuli, All
Act 2
- ; "Pre-Eminently Handsome" - Female Chorus
- "I Can't Imagine" (Song) - Lazuli
- Quintette (Yes, it is he!) - King Anso, Sirocco, Lazuli, Plunkett,Tapioca
- Chorus of Welcome (with joyful jubilation..)
- Ensemble (Take him away!) - Lilita, Aloes, Plunkett, H. Macdonough,Tapioca, Mixed Chorus
- "The Omniscient Ostrich" (The Birds Who Knows It All) (Ditty) - King Anso, Chorus
- Resume of Finale - Lilita, King Anso, Chorus
Act 3
- "Military Chorus" (Oh, the cymbals clash) - Chorus
- "Sneezing Song" (Of all the minor ills..) - Lazuli
- "Love Will Find the Way" (Song) - King Anso
- "Turtle Dove Duet" (Though in idle jest she has spoken) - Lazuli, Lilita
- "Love Is Blind" (Ballad) - Lilita
- "Wedding Bells Are Sweetly Ringing" (Wedding Chorus) - Chorus
- Finale - Lazuli, Lilita, All
Cast
- King Anso IV, the Merry Monarch
- Sirocco, the Royal Astrologer
- Herrison, Ambassador Extraordinary, etc.
- Kedas, Minister of Police
- Tapioca, Private Secretary to Herrison
- High Chamberlain
- Possamus / Hocacus, Royal train-bearers
- Lilita, Princess Royal, betrothed to King Anso
- Aloes, Maid-in-waiting to the Princess
- Oasis, first maid of honor
- Idra, second Maid of Honor
- Lazuli, a traveling peddler of parfumery
Dignitaries, Civilians, Amazon Guards, Ladies of the Court, Dancing Girls and Pages, etc.
Scenes and Settings
- Act 1: A Public Place in India, before Sirocco's Observatory.
- Act 2: The Hall of the Statues, in King Anso's Palace.
- Act 3: The Corridor of the Elephants in King Anso's Palace.