The King's Henchman: Lyric Drama in Three Acts (With Edward Johnson's Rehearsal Copy) by Millay, Edna St. Vincent; Taylor, Deems - 1927

New York: J. Fischer & Bro, 1927. Hardcover. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo (tall). Deluxe Edition of The King's Henchman is copy no. 17 (of 98 copies) bound in original blue cloth with mounted pictorial illustration to front board, t.e.g., 'fischer edition' stamped to rear upper board, 279 pp., plus signed twice by Deems Taylor on photogravure portrait and cast of characters page, as well as autographs by Laurence Tibbett (who plays the lead role, Edgar pf Wessex), Tullio Serafin (conductor), and Edward Johnson (Canadian operatic tenor who stars in the role of Aethwold); Accompanied with Edward Johnson's Rehearsal copy in original cloth-backed tan wrappers, title lettered in black, signed by Edward Johnson on front cover, with inscription on front inner cover to Lady Eaton, which reads: "To my dear and devoted friend Lady Eaton - this first copy of the King's Henchman, made for rehearsal purposes, is offered with keen appreciation and sincere affection by Edward Johnson, the first Aethwold. Metropolitan Opera, New York, Feb. 1927.' 279 pp., containing the musical score, with pencil notations and passages highlighted in red and blue, some dog-eared pages, 'not offered for sale' stamps on front cover and first page of rehearsal copy. Wrappers browned, chip with loss to lower corner of rear cover, a small vertical cut to the lower front cover, repaired with archival tape on verso, head and foot of spine chipped with fraying, some small stains to covers and fore-edge; Deluxe Edition has light foxing to endpapers, pages somewhat faded, boards and edges lightly rubbed with slight bruising at spine ends but otherwise very good. The King's Henchman premiered at the Met on 17 February, 1927. Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet and playwright, was commissioned to write an opera with Deems Taylor. The opera, "...with music by Taylor and libretto by famed American poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, premiered to glowing reviews, performances over three seasons, and a second metropolitan commission," (Pegolotti, James. A., Deems Taylor: Selected Writings, pp. 101. New York: Routledge, 2007). Edward Johnson (1878-1959) was a Canadian operatic tenor and sensation, he was G.M. of the Metropolitan Opera from 1935-1950. In 1920, "Sir John and Lady Eaton made the acquaintance of noted Canadian signer Edward Johnson, who encouraged her to take the stage with him and sign for the benefit of charity...the formal concert was a success and resulted in Edward Johnson becoming a lifelong friend of the Eaton family, (Bruce Allen Kopytek, "Eatons: The Trans-Canada Store." Charleston: The History Press, 2014).