With the exception of Sir Hubert Parry, all the chief living composers of English nationality have made a bid for fame in Grand Opera, but with only partial success. Those whose efforts appear to have led to the best results are Stanford and Mackenzie. Unfortunately for us, there is in this country less opportunity for operatic composers than in almost any other: works when written have little chance of being staged, unless perhaps semi-privately. Occasionally the management of the Grand Opera invites a work from an English musician, but even then it is sometimes coupled, as was the case with Bunning’s _Princess Osra_, with the condition that it be performed in a foreign language. Opera is not the hobby and delight of the man in the street, as it is in many Continental countries, and the works that find favour at Covent Garden seem to be chosen according to the wishes of the boxholders and members of the syndicate. After all, it is these that supply the sinews of war, and therefore the English public at large has no just cause for complaint. If the English public will come forward and support national opera schemes, as it is constantly being invited to do, there would be some hope for English opera composers. Under present conditions opportunity is infrequent, although when it comes it is generally seized by those concerned. [Sidenote: =Stanford, 1852=] Undoubtedly the pluckiest attempts to wrest fame from grudging audiences in this respect has been made by Sir Charles Stanford. Undeterred by failure, indifferent success, and lack of appreciation, he has made repeated efforts in opera. His earliest were in Germany, where _The Veiled Prophet of Khorassan_ (Hanover) and _Savonarola_ (Hamburg) came to light. Later on came the _Canterbury Pilgrims_, produced at Covent Garden in 1884. Some success attended the last-named, but it was many years before it found a companion, _Shamus O’Brien_ not appearing until 1896. Stanford is an Irishman, and the subject particularly suited his individual temperament. The work, confessedly less in the grand opera style than that of the romantic comic opera, enjoyed great favour for a short time, and contained charming music. Of still more importance is his last born, a version of _Much Ado about Nothing_, staged at Covent Garden in 1901, the music of which, although unequal, contains some fine moments. [Illustration: _Photo_] [_Russell & Sons._ SIR A. C. MACKENZIE.] [Sidenote: =Mackenzie 1847=] Mackenzie’s operas are _Colomba_ (1883), _The Troubadour_ (1886), and _The Cricket on the Hearth_. The last-named still awaits a hearing, and promises to be of much interest. A lighter work of the Savoy type was also written by this composer, and had a good run. A bid for popularity, in the shape of a small and trifling but musically interesting operetta, produced at one of our largest music halls in 1905, was also made by Mackenzie. Of such innovations as this, and their purport, we may say more anon.