The King's henchman: a collaboration between Deems Taylor and Edna St. Vincent Millay

During the 1920's, the United States was in a state of cultural transition. This was reflected in multiple art genres, and music was no exception. In 1926, Giulio Gatti-Casazza and Otto Kahn, the General Manager and General Director of the Metropolitan Opera respectively, commissioned composer Deems Taylor to write a new American opera. Taylor (1885–1966) was an American-born composer who also worked as a music critic, writer, and radio personality. At the time of this commission, Taylor was given free reign in the opera’s subject matter, and more importantly, over whom to select as librettist. For this project, he chose American poet and Pulitzer Prize winner Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892–1950).

After accepting this commission, Millay worked to find a suitable libretto topic. She soon selected a story based in tenth-century England that was found in the Gesta Regum Anglorum, written by William of Malmesbury. This story served as the foundation for the opera that would eventually be titled The King’s Henchman. Due to Millay’s poor health, collaboration between took place via mail correspondence, with Millay and Taylor only meeting a total of four times during the opera’s genesis. The score for The King’s Henchman was completed in 1926, and the rehearsal process began in January 1927. The Metropolitan leaked information about the upcoming opera and a great deal of publicity was built up surrounding The King’s Henchman and its premiere. The opera premiered on February 17, 1927. The majority of reviews were positive, and The King’s Henchman was considered a triumph for American opera.

This dissertation seeks to provide a document that examines the various elements of The King’s Henchman, its historical context, and its unique genesis. The original source material for The King’s Henchman is discussed, as well as its author and other key historical figures, such as King Eadgar (943–975). Thematic material, literary parallels, and Millay’s language choices are examined. I review musical aspects of The King’s Henchman, discussing Taylor’s musical influences, his compositional style, and his awareness and subsequent sensitivity to Millay’s text. Charts and appendices supplement this dissertation to create a well-rounded view of the opera. This dissertation concludes with a discussion on whether The King’s Henchman merits a return to the current American opera canon.