My Orchestra teacher in High School "scoffed" and bad mouthed this Operetta when I mentioned it. I was shocked. I am also very fond of HMS Pinafore, and Pirates of ... I was singing all of them by the time I was 5 or 6. Dad was a big fan.
The show opened in New Zealand first and was filmed in New Zealand for the video / dvd. (Derek and Terri) This footage is just filmed for the keep sake of the production company during the Aust run. (Simon and Helen) which happened "after" the NZ tour.
What is this from? The only versions I can seem to find anywhere are the New Zealand recording, but I'd love to have a copy of the Australian production!
It's Derek and terri on the DVD but this sounds like Simon and Helen to me, must be a different recording or I'm wrong (quite possible, the quality I'm watching this on is bad). But terri is from NZ and this sounds like Helen. Am I right?
LillyAnneify yes your right this is simon and Helen,you can tell, the voice is far superior to Terri, although Terri's voice is quite nice, Simon and Helen sing together beautifully
The over top antics are appaling worse than any second rate sea side pantomine, the whole thing is diminised, vulgarity is all today. Not just in this production it's general.
Actually, it was never intended as serious opera! It is comedy and this sort of comedic entertainment is centuries old. Gilbert was amazing at writing such comedic lyrics (including the use of nonsense and fill-in words when he couldn’t think of a rhyme 😂) and although Sullivan really wanted to be the composer of serious opera (and wrote some beautiful serious music) he perfectly partnered Gilbert writing some of the most amazing patter songs ever written. D’Oyly Carte had a stranglehold on performance of these comic operas and while I grew up on a diet of their performances of G&S I enjoyed the music and understood the comedic conflict in the operas I never found it laugh out loud funny. Now that other companies have artistic licence it is a whole different ball game. I should think Gilbert would be quite happy at these performances (Sullivan probably not so). What Essgee did with these operas is nothing short of brilliant! All four performers in this performance are not only excellent singers but great actors too. It is meant to be hammed up. Even DC hammed their version up for this song (my favourite performer back then was John Reed because he was funny) Drew Forsythe is hysterically funny (he makes a great Ruler of the Queen’s Navy 😂 from HMS Pinafore and Major General Stanley in Pirates of Penzance). Simon Gallagher has a lovely voice (and the looks) for all the leading men, Helen Donaldson has one of the most beautiful voices I have heard as well as great comedic timing and chemistry with Simon and Jon English might not have realised it in his former career but he is a very funny man AND can hold a great tune. So, I am sorry mate I agree with essgee007 I think you’rein the minority 😊
