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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable but flawed recording of a flawed opera,
By A Customer
This review is from: Gilbert & Sullivan: Utopia (Audio CD)
Utopia has never been a huge favourite in the G&S canon. There are echoes of previous works in words and music. BUT there is much that is memorable, including the entrance of the first life guards, the ensemble at the end of the Act I finale, the comic 'A Tenor All Singers Above', the Minstrels' song and 'Eagle High'. The recording is OK - bearing in mind it is the only one available - but some of the tempi could do with speeding up and the chorus diction (and that of Lyndsie Holland as Lady Sophy) is not as good as other DC recordings. It's enjoyable, but doesn't quite sparkle. The extras - Imperial March, Macbeth, Marmion and Victoria & Merrie England suite - all highly polished and impressive.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Insufficently known,
By Preset (u.k.) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Gilbert & Sullivan: Utopia (Audio CD)
The biggest of the Savoy Operas it failed to be approved by Queen Victoria due to insufficent respect for the Army and Navy. Secondly there were more than a reasonable number of soloists and this has made its stage appearances infrequent. In it Gilbert is at his best in cynically describing company law: the music of Sullivant is up to hummable standards. If one enjoys the more well known G & S operas then this will give pleasure.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews) 5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
find it if you can!,
By Brett Farrell "Offenbachinate!!!" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Gilbert & Sullivan: Utopia (Audio CD)
This isn't my favorite G&S opera but it's still a great opera all the same. There are quite a few remarkably catchy and beautiful songs on here and there isn't a single bad song. It was well worth the wait to own and any true G&S fan will love it and should own it.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A fine opera; Not too bad of a Performance,
By Aronne - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Gilbert & Sullivan: Utopia (Audio CD)
Just because I believe Utopia is the probably worst of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas does not mean that I do not like it. I love it! It just isn't as great as, say, Ruddigore or Patience. "Bold fac'd ranger" is among the greatest contralto songs of the canon.
Overall, this recording is adequate, the sound being only so-so. While better than The Zoo's recorded quality, it doesn't come up to the standard of the 1960 sets. It is too bright and lacks atmosphere. John Reed and John Alydon make a fine pair of villains as Scaphio and Phantis respectfully, even if Reed has a tendency to be more abrasive than usual. The singing of the Flowers of Progress is variable. Most do well enough, even if Colin Wright and James Conroy-Ward have odd voices. Lyndsie Holland has an uncomfortable higher range. I don't know if this is because of the recording or what, but it somewhat mars her duets with Kenneth Sandford as Paramount. Sandford, though definitely past his prime, still acquits himself well as King Paramount. "Society has quite forsaken" is very successful, even if Sandford doesn't always seem comfortable with his E's. Pamela Field as Zara is excellent, matched well by Meston Reid as Captain Fitzbattleaxe. The former is one of the few D'Oyly Carte sopranos whose voice resembled Valerie Masterson, the latter one of the most interesting D'Oyly Carte tenors to appear on record. The balance tends to favor him for some inexplicable reason: this would be unforgivable except that he sings Fitzbattleaxe very well. All is not well in "Eagle high." The balance of the recording is messed up or something. The acoustics seem cramped and stuffy. That said, the Act I Finale goes admirably and overall, this recording can be recommended with at least some enthusiasm, as it presents one of Gilbert and Sullivan's rarest operas in a more or less complete form. (We receive the shorter form of "Ah, gallant soldier brave and true," no great loss.) This recording contains no dialogue except for two 17 second clips in Act II and the complete dialogue preceding the finale. The three fillers are enjoyable orchestral works by Sullivan. The Macbeth Overture, the most interesting of the three, is perhaps too jovial for the program material but still finely crafted. This is a worthy addition to any Gilbert and Sullivan collection! |
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