The Martyr of Antioch
The Martyr of Antioch is a choral work described as a "Sacred Musical Drama"[1] by the English composer Arthur Sullivan.
At the Leeds festival of 1886, Sullivan would premiere an even more successful choral work, The Golden Legend.
[2] Sullivan's reluctance to compose a full-length oratorio on more than two years' notice casts some doubt on his willingness to devote himself to serious composition.
When a suggestion was made that, in view of the economic and political situation in England, the festival be postponed for a year, Sullivan wrote in a letter dated 30 June 1879: "If you carry out the idea of postponing the Leeds festival till 1881, it will be a very great relief to me and a weight off my mind, because, in consequence of my approaching visit to America [where Gilbert and Sullivan would premiere The Pirates of Penzance], I should have very little time to write for the next six months, and I have been seriously perplexed how to manage it."
[2] It was announced in June 1880 that Sullivan had turned to an 1822 poem by the Rev Henry Hart Milman (1791–1868), The Martyr of Antioch, as the subject for the oratorio, and that W. S. Gilbert would assist him in adapting the libretto.
[4][5] Gilbert helped Sullivan to adapt Milman's poem to make it into a libretto suitable for the work.
[6] Milman's sons authorised Sullivan to say that the alterations "had been made with judgment and good taste, and in complete accordance with the spirit of the original work".
"[11] When Sullivan stood before the festival chorus of 306 voices for his first rehearsal in Leeds on 4 June 1880, they greeted him with cheers and applause.
He outlined the narrative of the new work to the chorus before proceeding with the rehearsal, which was reported in a local newspaper: The premiere of The Martyr of Antioch took place on 15 October 1880 at Leeds Town Hall, employing impressive forces: The orchestra numbered 111 instrumentalists, and there were 306 choristers.
[11] The audience numbered more than 2,000 including Sullivan's mother and his friend, Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, who was President of the festival.
[11] At the Leeds festival of 1886, Sullivan would premiere an even more successful choral work, The Golden Legend.
[18] The piece was performed for the first time in the United States with orchestra in 2018 by Utopia Opera, conducted by William Remmers.
The chorus of sun-worshippers, led by Julia, gather, giving glory and praise to Apollo with a sacrifice of a hundred cattle and libations of honied wine.
The Prefect calls for Margarita to take her accustomed place and lead the worship of Apollo with her grace and lyre, but she fails to appear.
The Prefect admits that he has taken the path of "contemptuous mercy", but he now vows his firm intention to follow the edict of the Emperor and put all Christians to death.
Her lover (noting that "the rapture of her speech [doth] enkindle / The brightness of her beauty" whilst observing her "burst fillet"[21]) and her father urge her to retract, and pray for the mercy of heaven, but in vain.
