Revealed: Why You Can't Understand What An Opera Soprano Is Singing

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 1-8-2004 | Roger Highfield

[VadeRetro]

We might as well mention HMS Pinafore. Overall, I don't think it comes up to Mikado or Penzance, but it probably has the best baritione patter song of them all. ("When I was a lad I served a term / As office boy in an attorney's firm ..." etc.)

[nopardons]

My parents did Gilbert & Sullivan semiprofessionally; they were the FIRST to do any G&S, on American T.V.,having been in " THE MIKADO ", on NBC, in 1949. I grew up, from within the womb onward, hearing G&S, going to some rehearsals,all of their productions and those of England's famed SAVOYARDS,both here and in England, being in some operettas, and know, almost word for word,and movement for movement, just about EVERY one of them. :-)

Those here, who are HOBBIT/THE LORD OF THE RINGS fanatics have a permanent thread. G&S fans should have one too. :-)

[Doc On The Bay]

How SAD!

There is SO MUCH to be learned & Understood about the "Human Condition" from an understanding of the "Language" of "Classical Music."

Doc

[xp38]

NASCAR is an opera...pace lap/overture...runs between scheduled pit stops/Acts...late laps and finish/climax...curtain calls/winners circle.

[novacation]

When the world is getting me down G&S is great to listen to.

[nopardons]

YOMEN OF THE GAURD, Gilbert's and MY favorite, is the MOST like full bore opera.

PATIENCE, and PRINCESS IDA, the MOST relevant to modern day foibles, though, in truth, PATIENCE was the more so, in the '60s-'70s.

Most people are only familiar with THE MIKADO, PIRATES, and PINAFORE and that's a shame ! :-(

As for patter songs, there are many far better, than the one you mention, which really isn't one. :-)

[novacation]

You really do have Gilbert and Sullivan in your blood. Once you go down that path there is no turning back.

[Churchjack]

Sure, but, what makes Bob holler?

[VadeRetro]

Most people are only familiar with THE MIKADO, PIRATES, and PINAFORE and that's a shame ! :-(

You got me! OK, I have Trial By Jury and a few songs from some of the others.

[nopardons]

G&S is GREAT to listen to, no matter how you feel.:-)

Gilbert's wit and wondrous way with words, makes his librettos worthwhile and relevant, for just about every situation.

We usually have G&S playing, when we do long road trips, as well as during our Sunday teas.

Did you see " TOPSY TURVEY " ?

[Drango]

You mean all of the opera twits have been going without understanding it? LOL

[nkycincinnatikid]

You hillbillies need to give Susannah by Floyd a few listens.

[nopardons]

Listen to/go see ALL of the others! They'll just blow you away. :-)

About 15 years ago, PBS ran ALL of them, excluding the reproduction of THESPIS,which my parents' troop was responsible for resurrecting and reconstructing, including COX and BOX ( which is Sullivan without Gilbert )via the BBC.They aren't : great ", but better than nothing. The PBS stores used to carry them and some libraries stock them.

[novacation]

No I didn't see Topsy Turvey. I drive 600 mile every weekend and plenty of time to listen to music. Gilbert and Sulivan gets played alot. I think 'Ruddigore' has very nice music. It's too bad that G&S doesn't get performed more. The savoy opera was closed after decades. Sad

[novacation]

I've never heard of that. Could give me more detail?

[mrsmith]

Our own thread? There's so many of us we can just pirate any thread when we want to! It is a glorious thing!

Being a nosyparker I found: "“Kukla, Fran and Ollie” was the first color show on NBC to go coast to coast in a television special of “The Mikado” with Arthur Fiedler conducting the Boston Pops. It was awarded a Peabody as the outstanding children’s program of 1949. "
Even a low brow like me knows the Boston Pops ain't too shabby.

[Desdemona]

Uh, over the F#, it's impossible to make the vowels really distinct without a whol lot of practice. The big thing is that you have to make so much room in the back of the mouth and open it, that the shaping doesn't change. Our teachers even tell us not to worry so much about it. Consonants are just not possible either, especially if the mouth has to close. The sound stops and that shouldn't happen.

Besides, most passages that high are fancy ornamentation. Not all, though.

[nkycincinnatikid]

Really fine southern composer wrote it in the 50's. Set in Tennesee hills. Moralistic community condems maiden as a harlot, though in fact she is chaste, Pastor overwhelms her discovers she was virgin. McCarthy era plot but really good music , libretto , recorded many times. I have Cheryl Studer who is hot and Sam Ramey and Jerry Hadley who always seems weak, but great elocution since that was what thread was about.

[nopardons]

That closing just broke my heart! I'd seen EVERY different cast, LIVE, since the end of WW II and even got to meet, back stage, Martin Green, when I was almost 4; I'll NEVER forget that.

" TOPSY TURVEY " is shown, a lot, on cabel.

RUDDIGORE, though seldom performed now, for various reasons, not the least of which is the staging, is very very good. " When the night wind howls, in the chimney cowls,and the bat in the moonlight flies.... " and the pictures coming to life, and the send up of Methodists ( I'm a Methodist. LOL )are some of my very favorite things about that operetta. And Mad Margaret being so ditsy Opheliaesque, in the beginning is fantastic. :-)

Do you like Yomen and Patience too ?

[nopardons]

I saw that. :-)

But the Kukalapolitan Players didn't do the entire Makado and my parents' troop DID, also in 1949.Besides, that's like apples and oranges, since Madame Oglesby was Katashaw, IIRC,and my mother and the rest of the cast weren't a puppets. :-)

One of the great, for me, side affects of my parents doing that show, was that I got to meet, talk with, and have dinner, at home,their makeup man,Dick Smith, who later went on to win an acedemy award for his makeup work, in " LITTLE BIGMAN ".