There’s really only 3 good operettas:
This died in the wool Savoyard would violently disagree, even taking into account that others are not as rabid as I. Iolanthe, The Gondoliers and Patience are all equal to The Mikado and H.M.S. Pinafore. I would argue that Pirates of Penzance actually is one of their in between works, large hunks of the second act are yawnable with the lead comic, Major General Stanley having no good second act feature. Ruddigore, The Sorcerer and Princess Ida may not be to everyone's tastes and Yeomen of the Guard is decidedly darker than the rest of G & S's oeuvre. That leaves us with Utopia Ltd and The Grand Duke, out of D'Oyly Carte's repertory for almost 75 years before making a very brief appearance in the Centennial year, possibly primarily so that Decca London could capture them on vinyl for posterity. I think The Grand Duke right up there with some of their better pieces and Utopia has its moments but lacks the consistancy of their best. Stylistically they are very far away from what is current, so one has to approach with that in mind. Some things are so great as to be forever, and I think Gilbert and Sullivan's best comes under that banner. |
