Opera Scotland

Charles Villiers Stanford Suggest updates

Sir Charles Villiers Stanford.

Born Dublin, 30 September 1852.

Died London, 29 March 1924.

Irish composer.

Stanford was one of the most important composers and teachers of his era, until recently rather overshadowed by Elgar.  Of his operas, Shamus O'Brien was particularly successful.  After 80 performances in London, conducted by Henry Wood, its first two tour dates were Edinburgh and Glasgow.  It was then seen all over England and Ireland, as well as the USA and Australia.

His many notable students included Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.

Operas performed in Scotland are shown in bold:

1   The Veiled Prophet of Khorassan (Hanover 1881) ()

2   Savonarola (Hamburg 1884) ()

3   The Canterbury Pilgrims (1884) ()

4   The Miner of Falun (1884) ()

5   Lorenza (1894) ()

6   Shamus O'Brien (London 1896) (Jessop)

7   Christopher Patch, or The Barber of Bath (1898; London 1907) ()

8   Much Ado About Nothing (1901) ()

9   The Critic (1916) ()

10   The Travelling Companion (1919; 1925) ()