the professional repertory. Due to the perceived raciness of the original novel even into the 20th century, the opera was initially avoided by amateur performing groups, but eventually reached a level of popularity comparable to Merrie England. A few modern performing groups such as the Shaw Festival have found the libretto to be an excessively diluted version of the original novel and have produced rewritten versions with revised lyrics and dialogue. Richard Traubner asked in Opera News: But does a Tom Jones that pleased a refined Edwardian clientele still hold up, especially after Tony Richardson's famous 1963 film version...? I'm not so sure. The libretto is almost devoid of ribaldry, many of the lyrics are a sorry collection of Latin locutions and/or olde-English fa-la-las, and the patter songs are pallid lists. That leaves Edward German's music, which is for the most part very accomplished, beautifully orchestrated and redolent of both the English countryside (Somerset) and London's pleasure gardens (Ranelagh) in the eighteenth century. Somehow, this composer of antique incidental music for the stage ... feels more at home in the operetta world with the Elizabethan setting of his patriotic Merrie England. One wants a saucier treatment for Tom Jones, perhaps along the lines of The Beggar's Opera. But that would deprive us of hearing German's fine martial songs; his convoluted, challenging chorus writing; some very catchy ditties for the soubrette, Honour; the famous coloratura waltz-song for the heroine, Sophia; and most important, his sweeping finales, which have a breadth that occasionally just touches Ralph Vaughan Williams territory. You may ... tire of so many jigs and other intrusive country dances, but that's Edward German for you, exactly. The opera is best known for a suite of three of its dance numbers for orchestra and the act 3 waltz song, which can be found on numerous recordings. A 2009 recording by Naxos was the first complete professional recording of the opera, conducted by David Russell Hulme. Roles and original cast Tom Jones, a Foundling (high baritone) – Hayden Coffin Mr. Allworthy, a Somersetshire Magistrate (bass) – John Morley Blifil, his Nephew (baritone) – Arthur Soames Benjamin Partridge, a Village Barber (comic baritone) – Dan Rolyat Squire Western, a "fine Old English Gentleman" (baritone) – Ambrose Manning Gregory, Grizzle and Dobbin, his Servants (baritones) – Jay Laurier, Bernard Gorcey and Henry Turpin Squire Cloddy, Pimlott, and Tony, friends of Squire Western (non-singing)