Sir George Macfarren (1813‑87) was something of a musical polymath. Having studied at the Royal Academy of Music, he eventually became its principal and professor of music at Cambridge. In the interim, he built up a career as composer, conductor, lecturer, teacher and author. He’s a forgotten figure nowadays; more familiar is the name of his wife, Natalia, as a translator of opera librettos.

Robin Hood was produced at Her Majesty’s Theatre in 1860. It was even better received than Macfarren’s earlier success, King Charles II, and this delightful recording explains its popularity. Charming though the music is, though, it’s doubtful that the opera would bear revival on stage. The libretto by John Oxenford is pure fustian, with its phrase inversions, its ‘well-a-days’ and ‘foaming tankards’. And the dramatic pace wouldn’t pass muster today: there are ensembles that advance the action but every so often Oxenford pauses for a ballad or a part-song. The opera looks towards Sullivan’s tedious Ivanhoe; but it’s perhaps better viewed as a descendant of, say, the Linleys’ The Duenna, or Rosina by Shield (who also composed a Robin Hood).

Macfarren’s hero, unusually for his day, was Mozart; but his musical ancestors here are Weber and Nicolai (the Sheriff’s ‘From childhood’s dawn’ is practically cribbed from Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor). The Overture begins with horn calls: there’s a split in the first few seconds but thereafter all is well. Nicky Spence is splendid as Robin Hood: vigorous in the ballad ‘Englishmen by birth’, he is eloquent in the beautiful ‘My own, my guiding star’, his manner recalling Richard Lewis. Kay Jordan makes a brave assault on her scena, faltering only at the hurdle of the triplets near the end. If Louis Hurst fails to convince as the villainous Sompnour, the fault lies with Macfarren’s under-characterised writing. George Hulbert, loving father and vengeful official, is more successful.

The spoken dialogue is omitted but can be read online. Ronald Corp clearly loves this music; and if there’s a touch of am-dram about the chorus, well, it’s all part of the fun.