ABSTRACT
Reconciled with Gilbert, the composer was not yet ready to begin work with him. Weak as he was from his illness, Sullivan had first to face again in October 1892 the strain of the Leeds Festival conductorship. Spark was as usual waiting for Sullivan when he arrived at the Great Northern Station at 5.30 p.m. on Friday 30 September. A house had been taken for him in Virginia Terrace. That same evening he plunged into a rehearsal with the choir alone; when rehearsals with orchestra began, he excited comment by rehearsing Elijah instead of taking such a familiar work for granted. Sullivan remained very much in command throughout the festival. Having yielded to Barnby only the Saturday morning concert containing The Spectre’s Bride, he conducted as usual everything but those ‘novelties’ or other works which were directed by their own composers.
