A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Ruy Blas

by George Grove

RUY BLAS. A play by Victor Hugo, to which Mendelssohn composed an Overture, and a Chorus for soprano voices and orchestra. The Overture (op. 95), is in C minor, and the Chorus (op. 77, no. 3) in A. Both pieces were conceived, written, copied, rehearsed, and executed, in less than a week (see Letter, March 18, 1839). The first performance was Monday, March 11, 1839. Mendelssohn brought it to London in MS. in 1844, and it was tried at a Philharmonic Rehearsal, but for some reason was not performed till a concert of Mrs. Anderson's, May 25, 1849, and is now in the library at Buckingham Palace. The MS. differs in a few passages from the published score, which was not printed till after Mendelssohn's death (No. 5 of the posth. works).

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