The D’oyly Carte Opera Company- Gilbert & Sullivan/ Highlights from The Mikado and Patience

This was $3.  I have posted other versions of the Mikado on this blog.  It is probably Gilbert and Sullivan’s most famous work.  At least it is my favorite. Anyway that is why I bought it and why I am posting it this month.  The color scheme of the cover probably influenced me on some level as well.

There is an excellent movie which I am sure I plugged on this site before called Topsy-Turvy, which tells the story of the creation of light opera, its first performance and the lives of the principles involved.  It is a great period piece and is pretty entertaining.

Anyway, this was released by the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company,  The company was formed in 1875 when Richard D’Oyly Carte brought Gilbert and Sullivan together to write a short piece.  From there, a partnership was born and more works followed. most notably 1878’s HMS Pinafore.  With the success of the work, the Savoy Theater was built and the Opera Company was formed.  Richard’s offspring carried on the tradition until the copyright on Gilbert’s words expired in 1961.  No longer having a monopoly of the duo’s work, the company withered away slowly, closing in 1982.  However, the Company re-established itself in 1988 and has been performing sporadically over the years, struggling with funding as so many fine artists find themselves doing nowadays.

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This album was recorded under the personal supervision of Richard’s grand daughter, Miss Bridget D’Oyly Carte, who served as the company’s head from 1948 to 1982. Released by London Records, it is a pretty good album with some of the more popular songs from the two pieces of works. From 1961, it features the New Promenade Orchestra, conducted by Isidore Godfrey.  I believe a series of G& S records were made from these.

 

From the Mikado, we have such classics as ” A Wandering Minstrel I”, “Three Little Maids”, Here’s a How De Do”, “The Mikado Song” and “Tit Willow” which I first heard here.

I was a bit disappointed with exclusion of the “Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze” although I am not surprised as it is not as popular as some of the other tunes.  The piece was used at the end of Topsy Turvy and really highlighted the struggles of the actress Leonora Braham and her loneliness of  being a single mother (widowed) in Victorian England.

I was less familiar with Patience, but it has some good numbers in it as well.  Seen as a satirical look at the Aesthetic Movement of the 1870’s and 1880’s, the work features some decent songs such as “Twenty Love Sick Maidens” and “Am I Alone”.

For samples, I went with “Who Is This ” from Patience as well as the finale, “So He’s Gone and Married Yum Yum” from the Mikado.

Satisfactory record.

The Mikado staring Groucho Marx

DSCN2173The Half Priced Books in Sugarland has the strangest (or crappiest, you choose the adjective) records in town.  That being said, I spent $30 during my last trip.  I totally still am geeking out over two records I bought there, this being one of them.  I paid, you guessed it, $1 for this masterpiece. Groucho_Marx_Koko_the_Mikado_Bell_Telephone_Hour_1960

This is the studio recording of the 1960 NBC Bell Telephone Hour’s production of The Mikado.  Groucho Marx, who was a huge Gilbert and Sullivan fan, apparently enjoyed taking the role of Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner.  Oddly enough, his daughter played the role of Peep-Bo.  As the original production was two hours, a good chunk had to be excised in order to fit into a 53 min slot.  Hardcore Savoyians and Gilbert and Sullivan snobs are going to  hate this but I think it is just awesome. While the purists will object to Marx’s voice, I would argue that for the role of Ko-Ko, it is more important to be funny than a great singer.  Marx does this very well.

DSCN2174I know posting more than two songs equates to laziness on my part, but I really dig this album.  Here are two numbers that showcase Marx and two that have Marx singing with the others.  I included some brief dialogue to these tunes as well. If I had to choose one of the songs,  would go with “I’ve Got a Little List”. groucho_marx_marxism_ohp_postcard-p239361244071807990z85wg_400

I am still pretty stoked I found this. There are a whole lot of better recordings of the Mikado (there also are a lot worse-see my post from April) but I love the concept of Marx as Ko-Ko.  Top Rating.

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Marx with George Carlin