Guide to the Sadler's Wells Opera Company (UK) : programs and related material collected by the National Library of Australia
EPH PROMPT.Sadler's Wells Opera Company (UK)
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Created: 2023
Collection Summary
- Title
- Sadler's Wells Opera Company (UK) : programs and related material collected by the National Library of Australia
- Date Range
- 1840[?]-
- Collection Number
- EPH PROMPT.Sadler's Wells Opera Company (UK)
- Extent
- 1 collection
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- Printed Collections
Introduction
Scope and Contents
Material in the Australian performing arts programs and ephemera (PROMPT) collection consists of programs and related items of the Sadler's Wells Opera Company including theatre programs of various Australian performers.
Sadler's Wells Theatre is a London performing arts venue, located in Rosebery Avenue, Islington. Sadler's Wells grew out of a late 17th-century pleasure garden and was opened as a theatre building in the 1680s. In the mid-19th century, The theatre became celebrated for the seasons of plays by Shakespeare and others presented by Samuel Phelps between 1844 and 1862. From then until the early 20th century the theatre had mixed fortunes, eventually becoming abandoned and derelict. The philanthropist and theatre owner Lilian Baylis bought and rebuilt the theatre in 1926. Together with Baylis's Old Vic, Sadler's Wells became home to dance, drama and opera companies that developed into the Royal Ballet, the National Theatre and English National Opera. From the 1930s to the 1980s the theatre was home to 21 London seasons by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company; from the 1950s to the 1970s the English Opera Group, founded by Benjamin Britten, had its London base at Sadler's Wells; and between the 1950s and 1980s the Handel Opera Society staged productions there. It is now chiefly known as a dance venue, as well as hosting visiting companies, the theatre is also a producing house, with associated artists and companies who create original works for the theatre.
The list is based on imperfect holdings and is updated over time as gaps in the Library's holdings are filled.
Item Descriptions
Class. Material received 2023 onwards
Tsar Saltan (Rimsky-Korsakov) at the Old Vic., Saturday, January 13th, 1934 at 2.30 p.m. (Item 2023/1) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Season, 1933-34. Cast includes Australian performer, Ruth Naylor as the Swan-Princess in human form.
The Barber of Seville (Rossini) at Sadler's Wells, Wednesday, February 28th, 1934 at 8 p.m. / Saturday, March 3rd, 1934 at 2.30 p.m. (Item 2023/2) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Season, 1933-4. First performances by the Company starring Australian performer, Ruth Naylor as Rosina (Dr Bartolo's Ward). Including a newspaper cutting about the production.
First public performances of Lawrance Collingwood's opera Macbeth at Sadler's Wells, Thursday, April 12th, 1934 at 7.45 p.m. / Saturday, April 14th, 1934 at 2.30 p.m. / Wednesday, April 18th, 1934 at 7.45 p.m. (Item 2023/3) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Season, 1933-4. Cast includes Australian performer, Ruth Naylor as 1st witch.
Die Fledermaus (the bat) (Johann Strauss) at Sadler's Wells, Thursday, January 31st, 1935 at 8 p.m. (Item 2023/4) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Season, 1934-5. Cast includes Australian performer, Ruth Naylor as Adèle (Rosalinda's maid).
The marriage of Figaro (Mozart) at Sadler's Wells, Saturday, April 27th, 1935 at 8 p.m. (Item 2023/5) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Season, 1934-5. Cast includes Australian performer, Ruth Naylor as Susanna (Countess Almaviva's maid).
Carmen, Saturday, March 13th. 1937 at 8 p.m. / Monday, March 29th, 1937 at 8 p.m. (Item 2023/6) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
2 programs
Season, 1936-37. Cast includes Australian performer, Ruth Naylor as Michaela (a peasant girl).
Der Rosenkavalier, Wednesday, March 8th, 1939, at 7.45 p.m. (Item 2023/7) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Season 1938-39. Cast includes Australian perfomer, Ruth Naylor as Sophie (his daughter).
Faust / an opera in four acts by Gounod, Saturday, February 17th, 1940 at 7.pm. (Item 2023/8) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Cast includes Australian performer, Ruth Naylor as Marguerite.
Rigoletto ("Le Roi s'amuse"), Saturday, June 8th, 1940, at 7 p.m. (Item 2023/9) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Cast includes Australian performer, Ruth Naylor as Gilda (daughter of Rigoletto).
The Sadler's Wells Opera and Orchestra present "La Traviata" an opera in four acts by Verdi, Saturday matinee, May 18th, at 2-30 p.m. (Item 2023/10) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Cast includes Australian performer, Ruth Naylor as Violetta Valery.
Faust (Gounod), Wednesday, September 28th - October 22nd 1932 (Item 2023/11) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Season, 1932-33 at the Vic. Wednesday, Sept. 28th at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 22nd at 2.30 p.m. At the Wells, Saturday, Oct. 8th at 6 p.m. Cast include Australian performer, Arnold Matters as Valentine.
Cavalleria Rusticana followed by I Pagliacci, Saturday, October 22nd & October 28th 1932 (Item 2023/12) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program.
Season, 1932-33. At the Vic, Saturday, Oct. 22nd at 8 p.m.. At the Wells, Friday, Oct. 28th at 8 p.m. Cast includes Australian performer, Arnold Matters as Alfio (a wealthy peasant) in Cavalleria Rusiticana.
Cosi fan tutte or the school for lovers (Mozart), Wednesday, November 9th - November 19th, 1932 (Item 2023/13) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Season 1932-33. At the Vic. Wednesday, Nov. 9th at 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 12th at 2.30 p.m. At the Wells, Saturday, Nov. 19th at 8 p.m. Cast includes Australian performer, Arnold Matters as Don Alfonso, an old philopsopher.
The marriage of Figaro (Mozart) at the Wells: Wednesday, December 7th at 8 p.m. (Item 2023/14) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program.
Cast includes Australian performer, Arnold Matters as Figaro (valet to the Count)
Lohengrin (Wagner), Wednesday, January 22nd - Saturday, January 25th, 1936 (Item 2023/15) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Season, 1935-6. Cast includes Australian performer, Arnold Matters as Herald.
Die Fledermaus (The bat) / (Johann Strauss), Thursday, March 26th, 1936 at 8 p.m. (Item 2023/16) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program.
Season, 1935-6. Cast includes Australian performer, Arnold Matters as Frank (Governor of the gaol)
First English Production of the original version of Boris Godunof (Mussorgsky), Saturday, March 28th, 1936 at 7.45 p.m. (Item 2023/17) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Season, 1935-6. Cast includes Australian performer, Arnold Matters as Varlaam (Vagabond monk)
Falstaff (Verdi), Friday, March 27th, 1936 at 8 p.m. (Item 2023/18) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program.
Season, 1935-6. The property of Messrs. G. Ricordi & Co. First production by the Company. Cast includes Arnold Matters as Sir John Falstaff.
La Boheme, Saturday, May 22nd, 1937 at 8 p.m. (Item 2023/19) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program.
Season, 1936-37. Cast includes Arnold Matters as Marcel (a painter). Some newspaper cuttings pasted in the program.
The impresario followed by Greysteel, Wednesday, March 23rd, 1938 & Friday, March 25th, 1938 (Item 2023/20) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program.
Season, 1937-38. Cast includes Australian performer, Arnold Matters as Kol (Ingibjorja's thrall) in the Greysteel. Some newspaper cuttings pasted in the program.
Don Giovanni, Tuesday, March 8th, 1938 at 7.45 p.m. (Item 2023/21) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Season, 1937-38. Cast includes Australian performers, Arnold Matters as Don Giovanni, and Ruth Naylor as Zerlina, a peasant girl.
Tannhäuser, Wednesday, November 2nd, 1938 (Item 2023/22) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program.
Season 1938-39. Cast includes Australian performer, Arnold Matters as Wolfram. Some newspaper cuttings pasted in the rogram.
The Sadler's Wells Opera and Orchestra present "The marriage of Figaro" an opera in three acts by Mozart, Thursday Matinee, May 9th, [1940?] at 2-30 p.m. (Item 2023/23) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Cast includes Arnold Matters as Figaro (valet to the Count)
Opera season, Nelson, Tuesday, March 22nd, 1955 (Item 2023/24) - Box 1
Physical Description Note
1 program
Director, Norman Tucker. Cast includes Australian performer, Arnold Matters as Sir William Hamilton.
Sadler's Wells Opera, 12-22 April 1971 (Item 2023/25) - Box 1971-1972
Physical Description Note
1 program.
Operas include The tales of Hoffmann, Fidelio, and Carmen performed at New Theatre Oxford. Australian performer, Tom McDonnell performed in Carmen as Escamillo, a toreador.
Rigoletto / an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi, Saturday, December 16th, 1967 (Item 2023/26) - Box 1966-1967
Physical Description Note
1 program and 1 playbill.
Australian performer, Tom McDonnell performed as Marullo, at the Sadler's Wells Opera. The opera advertised in the Opera House, Manchester's Playbill, volume 2, no. 12.