Gilbert & Sullivan Operettas

[Humph Warden Bennett]

OK, which is your favourite?

(and your favourite character?)

[Aruntraveller]

Crikey. That's a difficult choice.

But for me it probably has to be 'Iolanthe' - happy memories of a school production where I was in the peers chorus.

Although 'Ruddiigore' is another favourite.

[john]

got to be this;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8G8EaepUJY

My childhood was filled with the sound of my mother's voice practising for the various roles she had over the years as a member of Slough G & S. society.

It is amazing if you listen to these operettas after all this time how topical they still sound in parts.

[Humph Warden Bennett]

Crikey. That's a difficult choice.

But for me it probably has to be 'Iolanthe' - happy memories of a school production where I was in the peers chorus.

Although 'Ruddiigore' is another favourite.

I have a soft spot for Iolanthe, I was Lord Mountararat in July 1976, TBH I had all the best lines, but Lord Tolloller had the best tunes.

Ruddigore is probably my favourite, I like to think that, were Gilbert alive today, he would think of Ruddigore as a satire of Poldark(!) Also, since there is no definitive version of Ruddigore, because of all the changes made, one never knows exactly what one is going to see ( a bit like you never know how Swan Lake is going to end until the last minute).

[Humph Warden Bennett]

got to be this;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8G8EaepUJY

My childhood was filled with the sound of my mother's voice practising for the various roles she had over the years as a member of Slough G & S. society.

It is amazing if you listen to these operettas after all this time how topical they still sound in parts.

Absolutely. When Chris Grayling, who knows sod all about law, was made Minister for Justice, I thought immediately of Sir Joseph Porter.

https://youtu.be/vsApWFFL1yQ

I did see John Reed as Sir Joseph, in 1975. John carried the show, although in recent years, it has been the Captain, (who is onstage much more, & has to be able to sing), who is the main lead.

[Humph Warden Bennett]

I do like The Gondoliers, for the sets, costumes, and pretty tunes, although TBH it does not have much of a storyline.

Occasionally a society will perform one of the more obscure works, three years ago at The Churchill Theatre, Bromley, there was a performance of The Sorceror, which I greatly enjoyed (although my wife found it very boring).

[Humph Warden Bennett]

(although my wife found it very boring).

I think that G & S is very much English humour. The small exchange in Ruddigore:

SIR RUTHVEN "On Thursday........I shot a Fox"

GHOST  "Hear Hear!"

SIR RODERICK Thats better!"

[Robbie]

Iolanthe favourite operetta, the Fairy Queen a favourite character.

Jack Point from Yeoman of the Guard (makes me cry).

[Humph Warden Bennett]

Iolanthe favourite operetta, the Fairy Queen a favourite character.

Jack Point from Yeoman of the Guard (makes me cry).

The Fairy Queen tends to be portrayed today as a glamorous "cougar "type, ie Demi Moore, as opposed to Margaret Rutherford, and I have no problem with that. Likewise the Lord Chancellor tends to be portrayed today as more of a handsome fifty something, rather than an old man.

FTR if you read the score for "Yeoman", Jack's part in "When a wooer goes a wooing" is written at true pitch  in the bass clef, the only time in the entire G & S canon that the comic baritone is written in true pitch. It is a "jolt", an indication that this time things are not going to plan 

[Harrowby Hall]

My favourite is Iolanthe.


When in that House
MPs divide
If they've a brain or cerebellum, too.
They have to leave
That brain outside
And vote just as their leaders tell'em to.

Nothing's changed there in 135 years!


I've still got the Malcolm Sargent recording of this on LP. Iolanthe is unusual in that its overture was actually written by Sullivan - mostly these were put together by a musical assistant from tunes in the show.

[Humph Warden Bennett]

My favourite is Iolanthe.


When in that House
MPs divide
If they've a brain or cerebellum, too.
They have to leave
That brain outside
And vote just as their leaders tell'em to.

Nothing's changed there in 135 years!


I've still got the Malcolm Sargent recording of this on LP. Iolanthe is unusual in that its overture was actually written by Sullivan - mostly these were put together by a musical assistant from tunes in the show.

Do you prefer the Glyndebourne recordings, or those of D'Oyly Carte?

[Robbie]

My favourite is Iolanthe.


When in that House
MPs divide
If they've a brain or cerebellum, too.
They have to leave
That brain outside
And vote just as their leaders tell'em to.

Nothing's changed there in 135 years!


I've still got the Malcolm Sargent recording of this on LP. Iolanthe is unusual in that its overture was actually written by Sullivan - mostly these were put together by a musical assistant from tunes in the show.

Lovely.  The Fairy Queen considered Private Willis a very fine fellow!
I love it when she says,"I've no objection to stoutness - in moderation".

[Harrowby Hall]

Do you prefer the Glyndebourne recordings, or those of D'Oyly Carte?

My preference is for the Glyndebourne recordings. Malcolm Sargent's commitment to G&S is never in doubt and he brings a wider range of voices to the recordings

One thing which may not be generally known is that Sargent was responsible for restoring the original performing standards to D'Oyly Carte. During the early 20th century, standards had been allowed to slip and "traditions" in performance developed. When Sargent became the music director, in 1926, he restored Gilbert's words, Sullivan's scoring - instrumentation and tempi, and sought to remove the "catchphrase-like" behaviour that many of the long-standing principals in the company had developed.

[Sassy]

The Mikado was my first introduction to Gilbert and Sullivan.  Then Pirates of Penzance.
At Junior school my form teacher and another teacher were both singers and performing in the Mikado and then POP.
Very light opera and very comical in parts.

Been a long time since I have been to an opera. Been to the ballet a lot more in later years.
But I have such fond memories of our teachers performing for us as a class and as a school.
When teachers were more than teachers and everyone benefited from their activities.

We did so much more than the children today.

[Humph Warden Bennett]

My preference is for the Glyndebourne recordings. Malcolm Sargent's commitment to G&S is never in doubt and he brings a wider range of voices to the recordings

One thing which may not be generally known is that Sargent was responsible for restoring the original performing standards to D'Oyly Carte. During the early 20th century, standards had been allowed to slip and "traditions" in performance developed. When Sargent became the music director, in 1926, he restored Gilbert's words, Sullivan's scoring - instrumentation and tempi, and sought to remove the "catchphrase-like" behaviour that many of the long-standing principals in the company had developed.

I find it interesting that you prefer the Glyndebourne series, I have found that for the most part those recordings are technically better than D'Oyly Carte, but they tend to lack "soul", .eg. few would deny that Sir Geraint Evans was a better singer than was John Reed,but the idea of Ko Ko being a lyric baritone does not sit well with the character of a "little man". Doyly Carte's recordings do vary greatly, eg the 1960 Iolanthe being far superior to the 1974 version.

I did not know about that particular contribution of Sargeant, thank you. 

[Humph Warden Bennett]

The Mikado was my first introduction to Gilbert and Sullivan.  Then Pirates of Penzance.
At Junior school my form teacher and another teacher were both singers and performing in the Mikado and then POP.
Very light opera and very comical in parts.

Been a long time since I have been to an opera. Been to the ballet a lot more in later years.
But I have such fond memories of our teachers performing for us as a class and as a school.
When teachers were more than teachers and everyone benefited from their activities.

We did so much more than the children today.

I was never in The Mikado. I was Captain Corcoran in Pinafore, Lord Mountararat in Iolanthe, and Sir Conrad Murgatroyd in Ruddigore. Then we did Pirates, there was not really a lead part for me, so I was ...a pirate! The producer was a G&S buff, and so we restored some of the dialogue from the original Paignton production of 1879, which restored the long deleted character of James, the Pirate.

[Sassy]

I was never in The Mikado. I was Captain Corcoran in Pinafore, Lord Mountararat in Iolanthe, and Sir Conrad Murgatroyd in Ruddigore. Then we did Pirates, there was not really a lead part for me, so I was ...a pirate! The producer was a G&S buff, and so we restored some of the dialogue from the original Paignton production of 1879, which restored the long deleted character of James, the Pirate.

I still being a part of music in whatever form is exciting and it is different in it allows us to find comfort, happiness and relaxation.
I loved classical music and Opera from an early age. Seems you enjoyed the parts you played and have a wealth of information about the writers and the parts performed. The eisteddfod I remember from childhood. It was probably the first musical festival
I went to. I sang in a Church Choir for years and a girls group at junior school.

I never once was asked for my children to attend any of the above. I think it is a shame our children do not have the same
advantages as we did. Do you still perform in rep these days?

[Humph Warden Bennett]

I still being a part of music in whatever form is exciting and it is different in it allows us to find comfort, happiness and relaxation.
I loved classical music and Opera from an early age. Seems you enjoyed the parts you played and have a wealth of information about the writers and the parts performed. The eisteddfod I remember from childhood. It was probably the first musical festival
I went to. I sang in a Church Choir for years and a girls group at junior school.

I never once was asked for my children to attend any of the above. I think it is a shame our children do not have the same
advantages as we did. Do you still perform in rep these days?

I was stupid enough to move from a town, to a village. When I enquired about joining the local dramatic society, I was told that they did not need any new members.

My view of villagers has been predjudiced ever since.

[Nearly Sane]

Would that be a local dramatic society for local people?

[Humph Warden Bennett]

I had the impression that the cast were the same in every performance, and that the audience sat in the same places for every performance.

Horrible people.

[Sassy]

I was stupid enough to move from a town, to a village. When I enquired about joining the local dramatic society, I was told that they did not need any new members.

My view of villagers has been predjudiced ever since.

Seems so unfair... :-(  You should have asked them how many members they have and how new people join.
Also gave them a letter giving your experience. Isn't time to try again? I am really sorry to hear what happen to you. Snobbery..

[floo]

I was stupid enough to move from a town, to a village. When I enquired about joining the local dramatic society, I was told that they did not need any new members.

My view of villagers has been predjudiced ever since.

How silly, just because of one bad experience. I live in a village where most people are very friendly.