From: conrad@brahms.udel.edu (Jon Conrad)
Subject: Re: Worst G&S (was Re: THE MIKADO was great!)
Organization: University of Delaware
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 18:08:13 GMT

In article <BxB4oE.9Ep@apollo.hp.com> betsyp@apollo.hp.com (Betsy Perry) writes:

>*My* favorite, since you asked, is *Ruddigore*.  Absolutely
>drop-dead wonderful mock-frightening music.  

The best of the music, yes.  But aren't there some awfully dull ballads
in there as well?

>Does 
>anybody have guesses why *The Sorcerer* isn't revived more often?

(a) The music is rather dull -- not awful, and there are some good
numbers, but I find myself bored a fair share of the time.  More than at
The Grand Duke (yes, I've seen it), to tell you the truth.  (b)  The
"twist" that resolves the story is very disappointing; why should
yielding oneself to Satan end the spell?  There's just no kick to it.
It needs something like the resolution Gilbert gave Ruddigore, and in
one of his stories Isaac Asimov supplied it (everybody marries, and thus
the love potion wears off and they divorce), while "speculating" that
this was too immoral for Victorian audiences.

And my own favorite overall is Iolanthe.  The libretto is *almost* as
good as The Mikado's, and the score is exquisite; not a weak number, an
atmosphere all its own, and the best of all the overtures.

>>In article <1992Nov4.185321.20039@speedy.aero.org> nadel@attatash.aero.org (Miriam Nadel) writes:

>>What about worst G&S or at least the most disappointing?  I've always found 
>>Yeoman of the Guard to be rather unsatisfying.  Not as
>>bad as The Grand Duke with all that sausage roll nonsense, but I don't
>>find the story all that interesting and the score is uneven.  

I agree about the story.  Also, for one that takes itself rather
seriously, it has a surprising number of obvious plotholes.  But the
music is fabulous throughout -- a close contender for my favorite score.
No way could I admit this to a "worst" list.

>Well, let's assume that *The Grand Duke* and *Utopia, Limited*
>go at the bottom automatically -- there's a reason they aren't
>revived much.  (I've seen *UL*, but not *TGD*; the libretto
>of *TGD* is grisly (gristly?) enough to make me suspicious.)

No doubt I'm weird, but I find both more palatable than Sorcerer.  Call
it just a mental block with GD, because I admit there's not much that
can be rationally said in its favor.  UL actually has a rather ingenious
basic idea, and some good humorous bits; but somehow Gilbert's working
out is labored and the score mostly (not entirely) tired.

>I find *Princess Ida* annoying, but the music's good enough
>to make up for the bad politics.  

Agreed on both counts.  If you produce it (and the quality of the score
would justify it), be prepared for some healthy booing at some of the
most misogynistic lines.  But the music sure is pretty.

>I think Miriam's dead on about
>*Yeomen*.  It drags, the funny bits aren't, and the plot is
>rather embarrassing.  

But the score!!!  Did Sullivan ever write a more dramatic overture, a
more wistfully appealing opening number, a more dazzling Act I finale?
(Not to mention the only Act II finale that isn't a bare reprise.)

>Although I wouldn't argue hard with anybody who wanted
>to make a case against *The Gondoliers*...

Nor I.  It starts off great (after an overture that starts off equally
great, then blunders to an inept halt), but it fizzles out halfway
through all that Act II business with the Duke and Duchess -- both
writers at their least inspired.  Were I directing it, I'd be tempted to
cut her aria and their duet at that point; it leaves a subplot hanging,
but it's hardly worth resolving if the material is so dreary.

Jon Alan Conrad