 PERCHANCE TO DREAM
A musical romance in 2 Acts by Ivor Novello
Produced at the London Hippodrome, 21 April, 1945 (1,022 perfs)
Synopsis
Sir Graham Rodney (1783-1818), Regency buck and part-time
highwayman, loves both Lydia and Melinda, but loathes cousin William.
When Graham dies in Melinda's arms, vowing to find her again one day,
his magnificent home, Huntersmoon, acquires a new owner - William and
a set of restless ghosts. Thirty-five years later William's son, Valentine
(1818- c. 1900), owns Huntersmoon where he meets and marries Veronica,
illegitimate daughter of Lydia and the former highwayman. The marriage
is nearly destroyed with the arrival of Melanie, spirited niece of the
late Sir Graham, but Veronica's timely announcement of her pregnancy
wins the day. Not until the twentieth century are the ghosts allowed
to sleep, perchance to dream, when Huntersmoon welcomes Bay - Valentine's
grandson - blissfully married to Melody, who is remarkably like Melinda
and Melanie. Strangely, their best friends Bill and Iris, also happily
married, bear a striking resemblance to William and Lydia who had hated
each other so bitterly at Huntersmoon nearly 150 years earlier.
For the Chorus
A fair sprinkling of lushly harmonized
numbers in, perhaps, the most romantic and musical of Novello's musical
romances. His keen ear for the musical traditions of days gone by makes
the pseudo-Victoriana of Act II especially evocative. Earlier, there is
a lengthy chorus-backed ballet. The chorus appear as friends and guests
of Sir Graham, his servants, Bow Street Runners, members of Valentine's
choir, wedding guests, Melanie's friends, and as ghosts of their former
selves.
Singing Principals
Lydia (afterwards Veronica and Iris).
Ernestine, a friend of Sir Graham's (later known as Mrs Bridport).
Melinda (afterwards Melanie and, non-singing, Melody).
Mazelli, The Vicar (these roles are generally doubled).
Straight Roles
Lady Charlotte, Sir Graham's aunt.
Sir Graham Rodney (afterwards Valentine and Bay).
William Fayre (afterwards Bill).
Smaller Roles
Susan Pell, friend of Sir Graham.
Miss Connors, chorus-mistress of Valentine's choir.
Amelia, Vivien, Lucy, Lavinia, Latitia, Sophia, Elizabeth and Caroline
- friends of Melanie
Edgar Pell, Sir Amyas Wendall and Lord Failsham, friends of Sir
Graham.
Aiken, his butler
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Orchestration
1st Violins, A, B and C, 2nd Violins Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Flute,
Oboe, 2 Clarinets, 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, Trombone, Drums, Harp
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