A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Seraglio, The

by George Grove

SERAGLIO, THE. The English title of an adaptation of Mozart's Entführung aus dem Serail, brought out at Covent Garden, Nov. 24, 1827. Much of Mozart's music was cut out, and popular English melodies and airs from other operas inserted instead (Moscheles, Life, i. 193). The perpetrators of this outrage—at that time a common proceeding—were Mr. Dimond, who translated the book, and Kramer, the director of the King's Band at Brighton. The scenery was painted by David Roberts, and the effects were 'rich and amazingly beautiful' (Moscheles). As 'Il Seraglio' and 'Der Serail' tbe opera was announced and played, by the German Company at Drury Lane, June 14, 1854; and as 'Il Seraglio' it was performed at Her Majesty's Theatre June 30, 1866, and at Covent Garden June 9, 1881.

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