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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This recording of THE GONDOLIERS comes from 1960 when the old D'Oyly Carte Opera Company was at the height of it's post-war powers. This was also one of the first recordings of what was to become affectionatly known as the 'DECCA 2nd Series', first series having begun in 1949 with TRIAL BY JURY and ended in 1955 with PRINCESS IDA.
THE GONDOLIERS was also one of four recordings in this series to include complete dialogue, something that would spark endless debate. Some wanted the full dialogue with all recordings, some wanted none. I personally would say that Gilbert and Sullivan sparked off each other and as we want to hear every note of Sullivan we should hear every word of Gilbert. After all we expect ever word, spoken or sung, in a work by Offenbach, Lehar, Johann Strauss et al.
Certainly this recording has never been bettered as an all round representation of the piece as staged at that time by D'Oyly Carte and if to some the dialogue does seem stilted, well that is the way it was performed at that time, not just professionally, but by amateur companies worldwide, and in some cases still is.
But the glory here is that there could not be a happier show - one to raise the spirits and to fill the soul with italianate sunshine!
John Reed - who had just one year previously been playing Antonio/Annibale - already revealing the talent that was to make him one of the great G & S comedians, Gillian Knight a formidable Duchess, Mary Samson and Joyce Wright as Gianetta and Tessa, Kenneth Sandford, still a new comer, an excellent Don Alhambra, Alan Styler and Thomas Round imcomparable as Giuseppe and Marco. The whole supported by Isidore Godfrey conducting a superb chorus and orchestra.
The only quibble is the ridiculous side break right in the middle of the Act One finale. Surely DECCA could have done something about this as there is room on the first CD for the whole act and this is the second reissue of this particular recording.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
A very good account of the Gondoliers, making the most of its rich orchestral accompaniment and operatic-style Italian singing. It is a pity that disc 1 ends mid-way through the Act I finale, giving a rather odd break, especially when the whole of Act I would have fitted on to one disc. The dialogue may not be to everybody's taste, with the actors' rather staid delivery. John Reed's performance, however, is to his usual excellent standard. All in a all, I can heartily recommend this recording.
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3 reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Not Perfect, but Definitely an Essential Performance
12 Sep 2008
Format:Audio CD
This performance of The Gondoliers is one of two with dialogue. The other, made in 1977 also by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, is not accorded with the same quality of sound or the same quality of cast as this 1960 recording. The 1977 account is only available through Sounds on CD's website.
The normal felicities of this series are here in full. The music is done wonderfully. Thomas Round and Alan Styler are the perfect pair of Gondoliers; their duet is vivacious and well-sung. Both bring off their songs in Act 2 very well. John Reed and Gillian Knight make a perfect Duke and Duchess of Plaza Toro. This recording was made during the peak of the company's ability and theirs as well.
Still, special mention must be made of Kenneth Sandford. This is easily his best recorded performance, both in the music and the dialogue. His Don Alhambra is alive in a way few of the other performers are. All are excellent; he distinguishes himself.
One reservation I have is the slightly squeaky Casilda. She doesn't do too well on notes above F-Sharp, but the Casilda on the later, digital D'Oyly Carte recording doesn't do much better. That said, Jennifer Toye's solo singing of Casilda is better than some of her singing during ensembles, and her duets with Jeffery Skitch (a fine Luiz) come off well.
Not everyone will like Joyce Wright's Tessa. Her voice has a lot of vibrato in it, making her sounds a bit older than she was at the time (1960). I have grown used to her and don't mind her. Her "When a merry maiden marries" is beautiful. This isn't Mary Sansom's best performance, but it is still very good.
One annoyance was Decca's choice to divide the opera over the two discs after "Then one of us will be a queen" rather than allowing Act 1 to fit entirely on the first disc, as it would have easily. This can be remedied by working with a program such as FreeRip by making an extra copy.
Compared to the New D'Oyly Carte's Gondoliers, this one is definitely better. The singers all have more character and never shy away from the higher notes. In the newer Gondoliers, Fiametta does not go up to her B-flat and Tessa does not end on a high F in her song. Not so with the present recording.
The fact that this recording includes dialogue is another reason to give it extra recommendation. It is the definitive stereo Gondoliers, fine on all accounts.
The normal felicities of this series are here in full. The music is done wonderfully. Thomas Round and Alan Styler are the perfect pair of Gondoliers; their duet is vivacious and well-sung. Both bring off their songs in Act 2 very well. John Reed and Gillian Knight make a perfect Duke and Duchess of Plaza Toro. This recording was made during the peak of the company's ability and theirs as well.
Still, special mention must be made of Kenneth Sandford. This is easily his best recorded performance, both in the music and the dialogue. His Don Alhambra is alive in a way few of the other performers are. All are excellent; he distinguishes himself.
One reservation I have is the slightly squeaky Casilda. She doesn't do too well on notes above F-Sharp, but the Casilda on the later, digital D'Oyly Carte recording doesn't do much better. That said, Jennifer Toye's solo singing of Casilda is better than some of her singing during ensembles, and her duets with Jeffery Skitch (a fine Luiz) come off well.
Not everyone will like Joyce Wright's Tessa. Her voice has a lot of vibrato in it, making her sounds a bit older than she was at the time (1960). I have grown used to her and don't mind her. Her "When a merry maiden marries" is beautiful. This isn't Mary Sansom's best performance, but it is still very good.
One annoyance was Decca's choice to divide the opera over the two discs after "Then one of us will be a queen" rather than allowing Act 1 to fit entirely on the first disc, as it would have easily. This can be remedied by working with a program such as FreeRip by making an extra copy.
Compared to the New D'Oyly Carte's Gondoliers, this one is definitely better. The singers all have more character and never shy away from the higher notes. In the newer Gondoliers, Fiametta does not go up to her B-flat and Tessa does not end on a high F in her song. Not so with the present recording.
The fact that this recording includes dialogue is another reason to give it extra recommendation. It is the definitive stereo Gondoliers, fine on all accounts.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
A truly great operetta
20 Mar 2012
Format:Audio CD
The Gondoliers was the last successful operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan and, in my opinion, it is their best work. Yes, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado are more famous -- and all are good enough to deserve their fame and popularity. But, for The Gondoliers, Sullivan requested a libretto which would allow him for once to write truly great music and not just a collection of catchy songs -- and, fortunately, Gilbert complied with this request. As a result, the music of The Gondoliers is consistently outstanding. Fortunately, the plot is very clever and humorous and, consequently, this is one of the greatest operettas ever written by anyone. Even if you don't think of yourself as a Gilbert and Sullivan, I think you will love this great operetta if you will try it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Gondoliers CD
4 Jan 2009
Format:Audio CD
It's great that this CD has both the music and diaglog.
Makes it nicer to use for rehearsal.
Thanks!
Makes it nicer to use for rehearsal.
Thanks!
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