Mikado, The (& The Yeoman Of The Guard/Trial By Jury/The Pirates Of Penzance/HMS Pinafore - 5 Complete Perform - Orchestra & Chorus Of The Welsh National Opera

English National Opera - A National Treasure

Advantages: Accessible staging, good balance in programming, great education programmes
Disadvantages: Singing is not always consistently amazing

As an aspiring opera singer (currently working in admin - oh, the glamour! - but hoping to go back to college in the near future), I try to attend as much live opera as I can. Living in London is great for this - we are spoilt with 2 international level opera houses, as well as numerous touring companies and high standard amateur productions. English National Opera is generally seen as the Royal Opera House's more accessible sibling - slightly cooler, slightly more modern. All productions are staged in English and the singing is generally of a very high standard. English National Opera's home is the Coliseum on St Martin's Lane, just off Trafalgar Square, so easily accessible from Charing Cross Station (Mainline or underground) or bus routes 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 23, 24, 29, 53, 77a, 88, 91, 139, 159, 176, or if you're travelling by ...

bubblegum_princess 02.03.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of English National Opera

What a tale of cock. What a tale of bull.

Advantages: Full of majestic English themes. A tragi-comedy that was nearly Grand Opera
Disadvantages: None

. When the latter closed there was no successor in preparation or production and it was replaced first by a revival of ?H.M.S. Pinafore? and then of ?Pirates Of Penzance?. Sullivan continued to yearn for more classical and serious works. He spent the summer of 1886 on the Riviera enjoying the sunshine and the casinos. On his return he was invited to compose a ?Jubilee Ode? for the forthcoming celebrations. Gilbert suggested another collaboration and once again brought up the theme of the Magic Lozenge. Sullivan again rejected it. By this time the pair were also seeing increased competition from other composers in the genre. A comic opera by Alfred Cellier ?Dorothy? played to full houses at the Gaiety Theatre for over 930 performances (much more than anything that Gilbert and Sullivan catalogue has seen). The Carl Rosa Opera Company ...

Newfloridian 22.05.2003 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Sullivan: (The) Yeomen of the Guard; Trial by Jury

Man a ribald rake, Man is Nature's sole mistake

Advantages: Not well known but is an important bridge in the historic cycle
Disadvantages: Not well known and quite dated

The operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan remain as popular now as they ever were when written over a century ago. In all, this most famous of musical collaborations produced fourteen operas. The most popular (?Iolanthe?, ?Yeomen Of The Guard?, ?The Mikado?, ?The Gondoliers?, ?Pirates of Penzance? and ?HMS Pinafore?) are quite timeless and their themes remain pointed. It is not surprising that within such a catalogue, there will be some titles that have not stood the test of time so well. Here, in ?Princess Ida?, is one ? an opera that had a relatively short initial run, an opera relegated to the ?rarely performed? list, an opera after which the partnership almost disappeared. THE PLOT The story revolves around two rival kingdoms ? ruled by King Hildebrand and King Gama respectively. Twenty one years before Hildebrand?s son ...

Newfloridian 09.05.2003 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Best Of Gilbert & Sullivan, The - D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus & Orchestra