The Mountebanks is a comic opera in two acts with music by Alfred Cellier and Ivan Caryll and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. The story concerns a magic potion that causes the person to whom it is administered to become what he or she has pretended to be. It is similar to several "magic lozenge" plots that Gilbert had proposed to the composer Arthur Sullivan, but that Sullivan had rejected, earlier in their careers. To set his libretto to music, Gilbert turned to Cellier, who had previously been a musical director for Gilbert and Sullivan and had since become a successful composer. During the composition of the piece Cellier died, and the score was finished by the original production's musical director, Ivan Caryll, who became a successful composer of Edwardian Musical Comedy.
Poster for The Mountebanks
"Put a penny in the slot" – Harry Monkhouse and Aida Jenoure in the original production
Frank Wyatt as Arrostino (1892)
The bandits, now monks, attempt to greet the Duke and Duchess (actually Alfredo and Ultrice) in song.
Alfred Cellier was an English composer, orchestrator and conductor.
Cellier, c. 1880s
Woodblock engraving of Cellier, 1887
Programme for Dora's Dream and The Sorcerer from 1877
Cellier, H. J. Leslie and Stephenson