▁in ▁a ▁student ▁production ▁at ▁the ▁R CM ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁ ▁On ▁Christmas ▁Night ▁( 1 9 2 6 ), ▁a ▁mas que ▁by ▁Ad olph ▁Bol m ▁and ▁V aug han ▁Williams , ▁comb ines ▁singing , ▁dan cing ▁and ▁m ime . ▁The ▁story ▁is ▁lo os ely ▁based ▁on ▁Dick ens ' s ▁A ▁Christmas ▁Carol . ▁The ▁piece ▁was ▁first ▁given ▁in ▁Chicago ▁by ▁Bol m ' s ▁company ; ▁the ▁London ▁premi ere ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 . ▁S aylor ▁describes ▁the ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁" d ram atic ▁h odge pod ge " ▁which ▁has ▁not ▁attract ed ▁the ▁interest ▁of ▁later ▁perform ers . ▁ ▁The ▁only ▁work ▁that ▁the ▁composer ▁designated ▁as ▁an ▁opera ▁is ▁the ▁comedy ▁Sir ▁John ▁in ▁Love ▁( 1 9 2 4 – 1 9 2 8 ). ▁It ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁Shakespeare ' s ▁The ▁Mer ry ▁W ives ▁of ▁W inds or . ▁Fol k ▁song ▁is ▁used , ▁though ▁more ▁dis cre et ly ▁than ▁in ▁Hugh ▁the ▁Dro ver , ▁and ▁the ▁score ▁is ▁described ▁by ▁S aylor ▁as ▁" rav ish ingly ▁t une ful ". ▁Although ▁versions ▁of ▁the ▁play ▁had ▁already ▁been ▁set ▁by ▁Nicol ai , ▁Ver di , ▁and ▁Hol st , ▁V aug han ▁Williams ' s ▁is ▁distinct ive ▁for ▁its ▁greater ▁emphas is ▁on ▁the ▁love ▁music ▁rather ▁than ▁on ▁the ▁robust ▁comedy . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 1 ,