Gilbert & Sullivan: The Mikado (1960)

Gilbert & Sullivan's comic opera The Mikado has delighted audiences for over a century and is easily more accessible to novice listeners than the considerably more heavyweight works by the masters of the art form. During the 1950s, someone at NBC-TV had the idea to adapt the piece in edited form for the Bell Telephone Hour, with comic Groucho Marx as Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner, the remainder of the cast features legitimate opera singers. Donald Voorhees conducts the Bell Telephone Orchestra with the Norman Luboff ... Read More

Gilbert & Sullivan's comic opera The Mikado has delighted audiences for over a century and is easily more accessible to novice listeners than the considerably more heavyweight works by the masters of the art form. During the 1950s, someone at NBC-TV had the idea to adapt the piece in edited form for the Bell Telephone Hour, with comic Groucho Marx as Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner, the remainder of the cast features legitimate opera singers. Donald Voorhees conducts the Bell Telephone Orchestra with the Norman Luboff Choir providing the backing chorus. While one might expect Marx to make a leering Ko-Ko, he is actually quite tame and plays the comic role without excess, and without much vocal range. Unfortunately, Martyn Green's condensed version of The Mikado (reduced from its normal two hours to around 50 minutes) loses a lot in the process, and this version ends up excessively talky. This long-unavailable LP may be a historical curiosity that will attract the attention of fans of Groucho Marx, but Gilbert & Sullivan fans will likely seek the real deal instead of this pretender. ~ Ken Dryden, Rovi Read Less

• All from $20.99
• Used Music from $20.99

• All Copies (1)
• Choose Release (1)

• Music Details
• Seller
• Sort Seller Rating Price: Low to High Price: High to Low Condition Condition: Reverse Release Date Release Date: Rev Sellers Near Me

• CD, Fair 2007, DRG UPC: 021471910629 See Item Details ▾

  Service First Media HIGH Taylorsville, KY, USA

  $20.99 Add to Cart Add this copy of The Mikado (1959 Television Cast Recording) to cart. $20.99, fair condition, Sold by Service First Media rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Taylorsville, KY, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by DRG.

  	Edition: 2007, DRG CD, Fair	Details: UPC: 021471910629 Discs: 1 Label: DRG Released: 2007 Alibris ID: 17750583822	Shipping Options: Standard Shipping: $4.99 Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
  Seller's Description: Fair. Ex-Library rental. Disc(s) are professionally cleaned and may contain only light scratches that do not effect functionality. Includes disc(s), case, booklet, and back artwork. Disc(s), case, booklet, and back artwork may contain library/security stickers and ink writing. Case and artwork may show some wear. Case may not be an original jewel case. All disc(s) are authentic.
  ► Contact This Seller
  Hide Details ▴

2007, DRG UPC: 021471910629 CD See All from $20.99