"Eileen" featured music by Victor Herbert. The libretto and lyrics
were written by Henry Blossom. "Eileen" opened on Broadway on March
19, 1917, and ran for 64 performances. The Internet Broadway Database
lists the names of the original Broadway cast:
Internet Broadway Database
http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=8519
The main characters are Eileen, Barry O'Day, Lady Maude, Shaun Dhu,
Sir Reggie, and Colonel Lester. Here is the best plot synopsis that
I've found:
"The plot of Eileen is set in 1798 and concerns a band of smugglers on
the Western coast of Ireland, led by Shaun Dhu. One of their number is
Barry O'Day. Their booty is stored at Biddy's Black Bull Inn where
much of the action takes place. Lady Maude, accompanied by her niece,
Eileen, appears, their carriage having broken down. They are rescued
from the village drunks by Barry O'Day and as a result he wins their
affection. This comes in handy as Colonel Lester has been tipped off
that Barry is in the area and arrives to arrest him. Barry escapes as
Lady Maude's groom.
Act II shifts the action to Lady Maude's castle where she admits her
longing for Barry. Eileen reveals to her his true identity as a rogue.
To help Barry escape Maude decides to thwart the Colonel by cajoling
her guest, Sir Reggie, to put on a coachman's uniform and act as a
decoy. But Sir Reggie is arrested and is about to die when the Colonel
is informed that he has been fooled and the real Barry O'Day has
escaped.
Maude's birthday celebrations open Act III. By now Eileen and Barry
have fallen in love. However, the Colonel has surrounded the castle
knowing that Barry is inside. Barry surrenders, when a messenger
arrives with the news that a new Lord has been appointed and brings
with him the King's pardon for the rebels. The arrest is forgotten and
Barry is united with Eileen (along with other sundry couples that have
provided a sub-plot) with a finale declaring that Ireland shall stand
among all nations of the world."
MusicWeb
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2002/July02/Herbert_Eileen.htm
More on the plot:
"Victor Herbert felt that Eileen, his Irish operetta produced in 1917
when he was 58 years old and past the peak of his career, was his
finest score. But despite enthusiastic reviews and such lasting songs
as "Thine Alone" (which has been outsold among Herbert songs only by
"Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life"), "The Irish Have a Great Day Tonight" and
the title song, "Eileen" had a disappointing run of eight weeks...
Herbert was obviously swayed in his affection for the score by the
realization of 'the dream of my life to write an Irish opera,' as he
told an interviewer. He was born in Dublin and although he became an
American citizen and his career was completely American, his Irish
roots had a deep hold on him.
The book by Henry Blossom is a serviceable bit of romanticism. It is
set in 1798 and deals with an Irish revolutionist who is arrested by
the British for treason. His wellborn British sweetheart, Eileen, and
her aunt help him to escape disguised as a servent, but he is
recaptured and is about to be shot when a pardon arrives not only for
him but, providing a massively happy ending, for all the
revolutionaries."
(From a review by John S. Wilson, in The New York Times - December 15, 1982)
Judy Kaye
http://www.judykaye.com/eileenreview.htm
Still more on the plot:
"Henry Blossom was librettist for Victor Herbert's 1917 comic opera,
'Eileen.' The story line once again involves smugglers. This time they
are in a subordinate role to the main protagonists who are caught up
in the 1798 Irish rising. In an eighteenth or nineteenth century
literary setting, gypsies, brigands, or smugglers would be the logical
characters to espouse views for existence outside the accepted social
fabric. In act one there is the smugglers chorus with its title, "Free
Trade and a Misty Moon," taken from the last line of the song. From
the first verse:
While Heaven sends us a misty moon,
Sure, why not take it as a gracious boon?
If France and Spain have somethin' we can use,
Faith, 'twould be ungracious to refuse!
So, free of tax or duty
We'll fetch ashore our booty!
Let's drink to the mist o'er the moon!
As noted it is a comic opera so all ends well with Cornwallis' arrival
and the king's pardon for the rebels. It ends with an expression that
the hopes of all parties will be realized in the future. Again from
the story line one can discern an understanding of the smugglers'
plight."
Lew Rockwell: Freedom References in Literature
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig4/conn1.html
"VICTOR HERBERT (1859-1924): Eileen. Originally titled Hearts of Erin
and premiered in 1917, this most Irish of Herbert's operettas is set
on the western coast of Ireland in 1798 during the rebellion against
England. The title character is the niece of an English landowner who
falls in love with Barry O'Day, a leader of the rebellion. Smugglers,
informers and the English army are involved as well as a subsidiary
love plot, all ending, of course, happily."
Records International
http://www.recordsinternational.com/RICatalogMar98.html
"Eileen opened on March 19, 1917 at the Schubert Theater, NYC...
Written in 1917 when Herbert really, really, really knew what he was
doing, this gem contains 'Thine Alone,' 'Come Tom Tune Your Fiddle,'
'Eileen,' 'Blarney' among many others."
Victor Herbert, an American Musical Life
http://vherbert.com/news.htm
"Experience the luck of the Irish with Victor Herbert's charming and
delightful Eileen. Smugglers, revolutionaries and love affairs pervade
this wonderful operetta. Stemming from Herbert's 'long-held desire to
write an opera worthy of my native land,' Eileen is Herbert's 1917 ode
to Ireland..."
The Little Orchestra Society
http://66.102.11.104/search?q=cache:Z6QgLxfsgLoJ:www.littleorchestra.org/bigO.htm+%22victor+herbert%22+eileen&hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8
Google search strategy:
Google Web Search: "henry blossom" + "eileen"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22henry+blossom%22+%22eileen
Google Web Search: "victor herbert" + "eileen"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22victor+herbert%22+%22eileen
Thanks for an interesting research project. I have always loved the
song "Thine Alone," and until now I never knew where it came from! I
also did not realize that Victor Herbert was Irish. I love Google
Answers: it has enabled me to continue my education in a delightfully
painless way. :-)
Best wishes,
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