ro is restored to her lover. Stanford's music is a masterly
combination of delicate fancy and brilliant humour, and when serious
matters are in hand he is not found wanting. A distinctive feature of
the work is the absence of Wagnerian influence. Stanford uses guiding
themes, it is true, and often in a most suggestive manner, but they do
not form the basis of his score. If foreign influence there be in 'Much
Ado about Nothing,' it is that of Verdi in his 'Falstaff' manner. Like
Verdi Stanford strikes a true balance between voices and instruments.
His orchestra prattles merrily along, underlining each situation in turn
with happy emphasis, but it never attempts to dethrone the human voice
from its pride of place. Like the blithe Beatrice, 'Much Ado about
Nothing' was born under a star that danced. It overflows with delicious
melody, and its orchestration is the _ne plus ultra_ of finished
musicianship. Since its production in London it has been performed with
great success in the provinces by the Moody-Manners opera company, and
has lately been produced in Germany.

Dr. Frederic Cowen is another of our English musicians who, in more
favourable circumstances, would doubtless have proved himself an
operatic composer of distinction. 'Pauline,' a work founded upon 'The
Lady of Lyons,' which was played by the Carl Rosa company in 1876, seems
to have won little success. 'Thorgrim,' produced by the same company in
1889, was more fortunate. The plot is founded upon an Icelandic saga,
and has but little dramatic interest. There is much charm in Dr. Cowen's
music, and some of the lighter scenes in the opera are gracefully
treated, but his talent is essentially delicate rather than powerful,
and the fierce passions of the Vikings scarcely come within its scope.

'Signa' (1893), an opera founded upon Ouida's novel of that name, showed
traces of Italian influence. It was produced at Milan with considerable
success, and was afterwards given in London. In 'Harold' (1895), Dr.
Cowen attempted too ambitious a task. The tale of the conquest of
England was ill suited to his delicate muse, and the opera achieved
little more than a _succes d'estime_.

Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) was the most successful English composer
of opera during the later years of the nineteenth century. His name is
of course principally associated with the long series of light operas
written in conjunction with Mr. W.S. Gilbert; but it must not be
forgotten that