Happyland

About the show

Happyland was a starring vehicle for DeWolf Hopper who portrayed Ecstaticus, the King of the fictional country of Elysia. The sets depicting Elysia by Ernest Albert, were largely modeled after the classical style of Lawrence Alma-Tadema whose work was heavily influence by ancient Greco-Roman art. In Act I of the opera, Ecstaticus sings the song "A Sickening Sadness Sits On Me" in which he laments his incredible boredom due to the unendingly happiness and prosperity of everyone in his country. He longs for some scandal and conflict to interrupt his monotony. In order to end his boredom, the king decides to create some drama by declaring that everyone in his kingdom who is unmarried and of age must marry immediately. To further complicate matters, he betrothes his "son" to the daughter of the neighboring monarch, King Altimus of Altruria. Ecstaticus in fact has no son; only a daughter, the Princess Sylvia. For fun, Ecstaticus decides to pass Sylvia off as his son; a plan she despises as she is in love with Prince Fortunatus of Fortunia. Sylvia runs off and elopes with Fortunatus, and further unhappiness arises around Ecstaticus and his kingdom as the consequences of his actions bear fruit.