The Ship of Heaven explained
| The Ship of Heaven |
| Music: | Alfred Hill |
| Lyrics: | Hugh McCrae |
| Premiere Date: | 7 October 1933 |
| Premiere Location: | Savoy Theatre, Sydney |
The Ship of Heaven is a 1923 Australian light operetta (or "musical fantasy") by Hugh McCrae with music by Alfred Hill.[1] [2]
The work was given a private production in 1923.[3] [4]
The original production open to the general public was presented by Doris Fitton's Independent Theatre at the Savoy Theatre.[5]
According to one writer in 1937, "it remainds the best fantasy by an Australian dramatist."[6]
Smith's Weekly called it " one of the most ambitious productions ever planned by a Little Theatre... represents .the work of Australia's greatest living poet, Hugh McCrae, and greatest living composer, Alfred Hill. Between them they have made this romantic operetta a work of memorable beauty.... In its field, "The Ship of Heaven" is easily the most important musical and poetic work that lias, so far been written in Australia."[7]
The text was published by Angus and Robertson in 1951.
Notes and References
- Andrew D. McCredie, 'Hill, Alfred Francis (1869–1960)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hill-alfred-francis-6667/text11495, published first in hardcopy 1983, accessed online 17 October 2023.
- News: INDEPENDENT THEATRE. . . 29,879 . New South Wales, Australia . 7 October 1933 . 17 October 2023 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
- News: "THE SHIP OF HEAVEN." . . 26,822 . New South Wales, Australia . 22 December 1923 . 17 October 2023 . 14 . National Library of Australia.
- News: "THE SHIP OF HEAVEN" . . 13,741 . New South Wales, Australia . 22 December 1923 . 17 October 2023 . 21 . National Library of Australia.
- News: A theatre fought hard . . XII . 190 . New South Wales, Australia . 1 November 1947 . 17 October 2023 . 16 . National Library of Australia.
- Book: Moore, William. xxv. The Development of Australian Drama. The Best Australian One Act Plays. 1937.
- News: "The Ship of Heaven" . . XV . 35 . New South Wales, Australia . 7 October 1933 . 17 October 2023 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
