|
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect fairyland, 6 Feb 2004
By A Customer
I was first introduced to Gilbert and Sullivan by my mother who, when I was 13, took me to see D'Oyly Carte perform MIKADO in Plymouth in 1963. From that moment I was hooked. At that time we did not have a record player, but despite this, I was able to remember the majority of the music and lyrics and a good portion of the dialogue and the actual staging.In 1965 we bought a record player and at the first opportunity I travelled into Exeter. MIKADO was not in stock at the only classical specialist of those days so I parted with three pounds five shillings (£3.25) and bought this recording of IOLANTHE. No doubt now that I was hooked, for despite the fact that this work is a very different work to MIKADO, within days I knew every note and every word. This is to my mind, the ideal IOLANTHE presented by a vintage cast at the height of D'Oyly Carte's post-war powers. Others may feel that certain cast members are not as excellent as their illustrious predecessors, but certainly for me, in the recording studio, this is by far the best. Some may find the dialogue stilted, but this is how it was (and in some cases still is) delivered. John Reed, always superb on stage, gives a classic performance as the Lord Chancellor. Donald Adams and Thomas Round are perfect as the two peers and Kenneth Sandford is a delightfull Willis. Gillian Knight, on the verge of a grand operatic career is a majestic Queen and Yvonne Newman a poignant Iolanthe. Mary Samson and Alan Styler are a delightful pair of lovers. The whole is musically directed by dear Isadore Godfrey and there is the bonus of the band of the Grenadier Guards for the entrance of the Peers in Act One. DECCA seem to have enhanced the sound even further, this being the second reissue on CD of the original digitally remastered LP reissue of 1984 (the first CD reissue being 1989). Despite this it is still a delight to hear the squeaky floor-board trodden on by Gillian Knight as she makes her first entrance proving that the principals did indeed move around the "stage" during recording just as they would have in the theatre. Thankfully we have returned to the original artwork and dispensed with the tacky uniform covers of the first reissue. This is the ideal IOLANTHE.
|
~ The New Symphony Orchestra Of London
~ Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
~ The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
~ The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
~ The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
![Gilbert and Sullivan (1982) [DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51M68ZDSEWL._SL75_SS50_.jpg)
With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is). 
Amazon Home