Happyland (opera)

Happyland, Or, The King of Elysia is a comic opera in two acts with music by Reginald De Koven and a libretto by Frederic Ranken.

The sets depicting Elysia by Ernest Albert, were largely modeled after the classical style of Lawrence Alma-Tadema whose work was heavily influence by ancient Greco-Roman art.

[2] In Act I of the opera, Ecstaticus sings the song "A Sickening Sadness Sits On Me" in which he laments his incredible boredom due to the unendingly happiness and prosperity of everyone in his country.

[2] In order to end his boredom, the king decides to create some drama by declaring that everyone in his kingdom who is unmarried and of age must marry immediately.

[4] The original cast included DeWolf Hopper as Ecstaticus, Marguerite Clark as Sylvia, William Danforth as Altimus, Joseph Phillips as Fortunatus, Estelle Wentworth as The Lady Patricia, John Dunsmure as Appollus, William Wolff as Sphinxus, Frank Casey as Pedro, Ada Deaves as Paprika, Carl Hayden as Adonis, and Bertha Shalek as The Lady Alicia.