Robin Hood

A Comic Opera in Three Acts
Music by Reginald De Koven
Book and Lyrics by Harry B. Smith

Argument

            In Act One the old town of Nottingham is dressed for the May Day Fair.  Hither come Little John and his companion outlaws, to take part in the archery contests.  Robert, Earl of Huntington, wins the admiration of the outlaws by his marksmanship, whilst the Sheriff of Nottingham repudiates his claims to the Earldom and declares Guy of Gisborne the real heir.  Robert joins the outlaws and becomes the celebrated Robin Hood.  Lady Marian has been commanded by the King to wed the Earl of Huntington and comes in disguise to see what sort of man he may be.  With Robert she is well pleased, and they plight their troth, but when the wily Sheriff substitutes Guy as the Earl, Lady Marian conceals the King’s decrees, commanding her to marry him.            

            In Act Two the scene shifts to Sherwood Forest, where Robin Hood and his merry men are holding their revels by the woodland inn, kept by Dame Durden.  Alan-a-Dale is enamored of her daughter, Anabel, whose flirtations with Robin Hood so anger the young outlaw that he is provoked into playing traitor.  Accordingly, when the Sheriff and his posse, disguised as journeyman tinkers, come into the forest to capture Robin Hood, Alan betrays his chief.  But Maid Marian, whom Robin believes has wedded Guy, flees from that loutish suitor and follows her true love to the forest, where she and Robin become reconciled.  Then Alan, seeing how baseless was his jealousy, summons the outlaws to rescue Robin Hood and put the Sheriff in the stocks.  But at the climax of the act the King’s men-at-arms capture Robin and carry him off to prison in Nottingham.

            In Act Three the scene returns to the old town, showing the forge, where Will Scarlet in guise of an armorer is employed by the Sheriff in making fetters for Robin.  The vengeful Sheriff has planned to compel Robin to witness the wedding of Maid Marian to his rival while the old schemer himself espouses Anabel. But while Scarlet purposely forges chains which his chief may easily break, the outlaws appear in guise of monks, and conspire together for Robin’s rescue.  Friar Tuck takes his place in prison, while, in the absence of the Bishop, Robin, in guise of a friar, volunteers to perform the wedding ceremony.  When the Sheriff brings the supposed outlaw from prison he finds a monk who defies him.  He also finds the church is full of outlaws in disguise, while Robin and Alan rescued Marian and Anabel.

            Now comes a messenger from the King, who, at the intercession of Marian, has granted free pardon to Robin Hood and restored him to his rightful estate as Earl of Huntington.  Whereupon Marian is quite ready to marry the real Earl, and the curtain falls on the jollification of the “merry men.”

History

Before Errol Flynn and Douglas Fairbanks Sr. romped through Sherwood Forest on the silver screen, there was Reginald De Koven’s comic opera masterpiece Robin Hood.  This work ingrained the story of the dashing outlaw hero into the hearts and minds of the American public.  Premiering on Broadway at the Standard Theatre on September 22, 1891, Robin Hood was one of the very first American comic operas; paved the way for Victor Herbert, Sigmund Romberg, Jerome Kern and other famous composers to follow.  Robin Hood was revived on Broadway no less than seven times, most recently in 1944, and toured throughout the country for decades.  Harry B. Smith’s book, the perfect blend of bold adventure, sweeping romance and hilarious comedy, combined with Reginald De Koven’s soaring score, which contains the wedding perennial “’Oh, Promise Me,” makes an unforgettable masterwork of the American musical stage.

The New York Times: 

1891: “As delightful an entertainment as New York has witnessed for a long time”

1920: “Robin Hood stands in a class by itself”

1929: “The DeKoven music is gay and melodious and rollicking”

Orchestration

Flute 1
Flute 2 (doubles Piccolo)
Oboe
Clarinet 1 (in B-flat and A)
Clarinet 2 (in B-flat and A)
Bassoon
Horn 1
Horn 2
Cornet 1
Cornet 2
Trombone
Percussion (2 Players: Timpani, Bells, Snare Drum, Bass Drum & Cymbals, Triangle, Wood Block, Tambourine, Anvil, Suspended Cymbal)
Violin 1
Violin 2
Viola
Cello
Bass

Authors