Gilbert & Sullivan: Iolanthe [1951 Recording]; Pineapple Poll (2008)

Isidore Godfrey conducts the members of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in this 1951 version of Iolanthe (without the spoken dialogue). The performance features many of the D'Oyly Carte stars of the mid century, including Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Alan Styler, and Anne Drummond-Grant in portrayals they had honed on-stage. The recording was supervised by Bridget D'Oyly Carte, so it can be certain that the performance practice (for better or for worse) can be traced to the work's origins. For an operetta about fairies, the ... Read More

Isidore Godfrey conducts the members of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in this 1951 version of Iolanthe (without the spoken dialogue). The performance features many of the D'Oyly Carte stars of the mid century, including Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Alan Styler, and Anne Drummond-Grant in portrayals they had honed on-stage. The recording was supervised by Bridget D'Oyly Carte, so it can be certain that the performance practice (for better or for worse) can be traced to the work's origins. For an operetta about fairies, the performance seems somewhat heavy and ponderous, due perhaps to a combination of Sullivan's orchestration, Godfrey's limitations as a conductor, and the lumpish sound quality. That overall consistent heaviness undercuts a central conceit of the operetta, the contrast between the worlds of the fairies and that of the members of Parliament. The set is filled out with a suite from Pineapple Poll, a ballet that Charles Mackerras constructed using a variety of Sullivan's music, with the... Read Less

• All

• All Copies (0)
• Choose Release (2)

Currently there are no copies available. However, our inventory changes frequently. Please check back soon or try Book Fetch.

2013, Regis Records UPC: 5055031320493 CD See All

2008, Regis Records UPC: 675754012182 CD See All