ABSTRACT
The 1860s and early 70s represented the high-watermark of Italian opera in central London. The impact of the German opera seasons of 1882, together with the consistent advance over several years of Carl Rosa and an increasing interest in light opera, combined to end the domination of London by Italian troupes. After his successful first London season in 1875, Rosa worked to establish his troupe in the capital as a serious rival to the Italian companies. At the end of the season the Royal Italian Opera Company, formed only two years earlier, went into voluntary receivership. In October 1891 he deliberately tried to undermine Lago's company by unexpectedly announcing his own season of Italian opera to run almost concurrently. From 1889, Harris gradually started presenting operas in their original languages; as a result, in 1892, the word Italian was dropped from the company name and it became the Royal Opera.
