t h e r o s a t r o u p e
frederic cowen
Frederic Hyman Cowen was a British pianist, conductor and composer whose
talents embraced songs, symphonies, oratorio and opera. He was born at
Kingston, Jamaica, on 29 January 1852 and brought to London as a child when
his father secured a post at Her Majesty’s Opera. His parents recognized his
remarkable musical gifts – he was a child prodigy - and arranged tuition
with Henry Russell, Julius Benedict and John Goss. Further training followed
at Leipzig and Berlin. He was initially seen as a solo pianist but by the
1870s he had achieved a reputation as a composer. He was known to Carl Rosa
as they both moved in London musical circles and were also neighbours in
Warwick Crescent in the Little Venice area of London. Their social
relationship became a professional relationship in 1875 when Rosa approached
him to provide a new opera for his company.
Rosa’s first commissioned opera, based on Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s romantic
melodrama The Lady of Lyons, had a libretto by Henry Hersee, and named
Pauline after the heroine. The world première took place in London at the
Lyceum on 22 November 1876 with Rosa conducting and Cowen joining him on
stage at the end of the evening. Twelve performances followed during the
rest of the season with Cowen conducting in Manchester and Birmingham. Rosa
continued to commission new works but he did not approach Cowen again until
early 1889. It was one of Rosa’s last managerial acts as he died suddenly in
April of that year. Thorgrim was based on an Icelandic saga with a libretto
by Joseph Bennett. The premiere took place at Drury Lane on 22 April 1890
with Cowen at the rostrum. He also conducted some provincial performances.
Both operas were respectfully received but made no lasting impression upon
the public. They had novelty value which sustained them for a season but
nothing more.
Cowen’s final work for the company was A Memorial Ode To Carl Rosa, a choral
work in memory of their former chief. It was given on 5 March 1891 at
Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre at a special performance to mark the
unveiling of a memorial bust of Rosa by the sculptor Walter Merrett. The
company gave what was probably the only performance together with operatic
extracts. The bust was placed in the foyer of the theatre but its present
whereabouts are unknown.
Cowen’s distinguished musical career continued and he received a knighthood
in 1911. However his compositions are largely forgotten today although some
of his music has been recorded. His Carl Rosa compositions survive solely as
manuscripts in the Rosa Opera Archive. He died in London on 6 October 1935
and is buried in the Jewish cemetery at Golders Green.
© 2019 John Ward