ABSTRACT
This chapter explains opera in the public domain in Great Britain and Ireland, works for which there are no traced performance. In Monaco, Runciman gave another positive review, asserting that Messaline is not only Mr. De Lara's best work. The Times's review of Beecham's performance was nonetheless equivocal, stating that it is not exactly English opera and described De Lara's attempts at local colour as doing frankly weird things with drums and harp and harmonica notes. The song which Caleb sings just previous to the entrance of Jaaron is a veritable gem, while the final section proves that the composer can rise to great emotional heights when his librettist allows him. The music of Philpot's third opera is untraced, it was better received than his two previous attempts, the Era commenting that the music is dramatic in style and displays considerable artistic conception.
