Stanford’s next work for the stage was ‘Shamus O’Brien,’ a romantic opera dealing with a typically Irish subject, which was produced in 1896 with great success.  The form of the work is that of a genuine comic opera, the dialogue being interspersed throughout with music, but although less ambitious in form than his earlier works, ‘Shamus O’Brien’ has a deeper artistic importance.  With all its cleverness and ingenuity, ‘The Canterbury Pilgrims’ is German in method and expression, and it is merely by the accident of language that it can be classed as British opera at all.  In ‘Shamus O’Brien’ the composer drew his inspiration from the melodies and rhythms of his native Ireland, and the result is that his work ranks as an original and independent effort, instead of being merely a brilliant exercise.

In 1901 Sir Charles Stanford’s ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ was produced at Covent Garden.  The libretto by Julian Sturgis is a clever adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy, in which the action is judiciously compressed into four scenes without any incidents of importance being omitted.  First we have the ball at Leonato’s house, with some love-making for Claudio and Hero, and a wit-combat between Beatrice and Benedick.  Here, too, Don John hatches his plot against Hero’s honour, and Don Pedro unfolds his scheme for tricking Beatrice and Benedick into mutual love.  The second act takes place in Leonato’s garden.  Claudio serenades his mistress, who comes down from her balcony and joins him in a duet.  Then follows the cozening of Benedick, and the act ends effectively by Don John showing to Claudio the supposed Hero admitting Borachio to her chamber.  The third scene is in the church, following Shakespeare very closely, and the last takes place in an open square in Messina with Hero’s tomb on one side, where, after a scene with Dogberry, Borachio confesses his crime, and Hero is restored to her lover.  Stanford’s music is a masterly combination of delicate fancy and brilliant humour, and when serious matters are in hand he is not found wanting.  A distinctive feature of the work is the absence of Wagnerian influence.  Stanford uses guiding themes, it is true, and often in a most suggestive manner, but they do not form the basis of his score.  If foreign influence there be in ’Much Ado about Nothing,’ it is that of Verdi in his ‘Falstaff’ manner.  Like Verdi Stanford strikes a true balance between voices and instruments.  His orchestra prattles merrily along, underlining each situation in turn with happy emphasis, but it never attempts to dethrone the human voice from its pride of place.  Like the blithe Beatrice, ’Much Ado about Nothing’ was born under a star that danced.  It overflows with delicious melody, and its orchestration is the ne plus ultra of finished musicianship.  Since its production in London it has been performed with great success in the provinces by the Moody-Manners opera company, and has lately been produced in Germany.