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Everything Valerie Masterson sings is sublime. Witnessed her at Cardiff's New Theatre in 168/9. Anthony

Ordinarily, I don’t like a mezzo as Katisha - the timbre is often very odd and I prefer to hear a contralto - but Heather Begg is the exception! In the region of “rise triumphant over all”, the original hand-copied conductor score for Act One has an opt-up for Katisha written in the same bar but I’ve never actually heard anyone perform it on a recording. I’d always assumed it was there as an “if you do cast a mezzo, at least use her!” moment that a contralto could not stretch to, yet I cannot recall a Katisha ever singing it on a recording. Does anyone know of one?

16:21 Derek Hammond-Stroud is so cute, LOL

Stunningly "clean" transfer visually, thank you! And Hammond-Stroud, Begg, conductor David Lloyd-Jones and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra are in top form.

Apart from everything else, how lovely to have one of the greatest of the Savoy operas led by that fine conductor David Lloyd-Jones, and played by the Royal Philharmonic!

They wouldn't even sell the DVD!

The sun and I

Should they have it in full movie?

Please upload more, its great 👍🏻

Katisha looks a bit like Margaret Thatcher, Attilla the Hen.😂

Rolled r's are not English!

I sang this when I played Yum-Yum, in my school's production of The Mikado, of course, it was an all-boys school.

I'm not sure if Ian does the wheezing. He told me in a letter he invented that for the Glyndebourne recording. He was an actor/singer like me & I once saw him in a play. He was the only singer to do a non-posh accent for the audio Sargent "Beggar's Opera" (there was a double cast of actors). Unfortunately we had similar in the otherwise good modern recording when the Macheath speaks in Cockney but sings posh. Surely he's a gentleman of the road so he alone of the gang doesn't have an accent? Ian was recording stories for the blind when he was quite an advanced age,

Hey. Is the VHS/Cassette of this production available anywhere? I remaster videos and would love to remaster this production. Thanks!

A wonderful production, thank you so much! Excellent singing and acting.

Heather Begg does a fabulous job here. She was also a stunning Lady Jane in Patience.

We did this as our musical when I was a junior in high school. Fun to play in the pit orchestra for this

I really wish there were a DVD of this specific version, because of all the iterations I've seen of the Mikado, this is truly one of my favorites! Thank you for posting this, I've watched and re-watched it so many times.

The incomparable Valerie Masterton

And did Yum-Yum get to rule the Earth?

For my money the definitive performance of this classic. Valerie Masterson as an Elsie Maynard to die for, and Derek Hammond-Stroud brought so much feeling to Jack Point

Who is singing Pitti-Sing? I really like her voice!

Sing along with elmo

Astounding version Hard to believe Sullivan went to his grave actually regretting that he would not be remebered for "serious music" but material like this instead. Again, astounding.

Thanks for posting, DancairoOpera! I saw this on PBS back in the 70s and adored it. Valerie Masterson's voice and presence are fantastic!

i waa actually in this production at television studios and what fun we had. ah those memorable days rx

Sung slowly - one gets to savour each note.

If there is one element of G&S productions I adore it is the changed lyrics to the patter songs. Almost a historical chronicle. 41:46 my favorite Gilbert And Sullivan trio.

Valerie Masterson is brilliant.

Richard Angas would reprise his role of The Mikado for the ENO 14 years later alongside Eric Idle (Monty Python) which was broadcast on ITV

Fascinating! A pity no-one seems to have any recordings of Bill Owen (Compo!) as Ko-Ko. Didn't he play the role in the same production? Along with Derek and Clive ? Actually I preferred the preceding brilliant Frank Hauser "Iolanthe" as a production. I still remember details for instance Strephon calling the fairies by blowing a conch. I once watched the t. v. version at the t. v. centre. Expensive! & I wasn't given a copy of the video as I wasn't in it or related to anyone who was. There was one over the top moment which was soon? toned down. During the Queen's Song Act ll the fairies whispered "Who's Captain Shaw" too loudly and it was distracting from her. Possibly they didn't bother about that in the recent E. N. O. version when various creatures were upstaging Phyllis and Strephon (Duet Act l). Very often one wonders what happened to proper stagecraft nowadays! We still need to find the film of the D'Oyly Carte "Patience" televised from the West End. After all the d. v. d. of the Wells t.v. "La Belle Hélene" (also black and white) is on youTube.

This is good. This is such a wonderful operetta. The end, with this same song, is a real tearjerker. I would like to see this guy's version. I watched another full length version on CZcams a couple of days ago, and I can't get this song out of my mind. It's a real earworm!

The patter songs are performed at the correct speed, fast

Conductor was David Tod Boyd.Nice to see a glimpse of Neville Griffiths in the chorus as he was principal tenor for years in the D’Oyly Carte.

Tour of 1963..The Mikado-John Hargreaves/Nanki-Poo-David Hillman/Ko-Ko-Derek Hammond Stroud/Pooh-Bah-Howell Glynne/Pish-Tush-Kenneth Fawcett/Go-To-Cecil Lloyd/Yum-Yum-Elizabeth Robson/Pitti-Sing-Margaret Morris/Peep-Bo-Dorothy Nash/Katisha-Ruth Roberts

Nanki Pooh is played by David Hillman.

I absolutely love this song.

Simply perfect

Stunning performance, her voice is perfection

The sun, whose rays are all ablaze with ever living glo-ry Does not deny, his majesty, he scorns to tell a sto-ry He don't exclaim,”I blush for shame, so kindly be in-dul-gent But, fierce and bold, in fiery gold, he glories all ef-ful-gent I mean to rule the earth, as he the sky We really know our worth, the sun and I I mean to rule the earth as he the sky We really know our worth, the sun and I Observe his flame that placid dame the moon Ce-lestail high-ness There's not a trace upon her face of diffi-dance or shy-ness She borrows light, that thro the night,mankind may all ac-claim her And truth to tell, she lights up well, so I, for one, don't blame her Ah pray make no mis-take, we are not shy; We’re very wide a-wake , the moon and I Ah, pray make no mistake, we are not shy; We’re very wide a-wake, the moon and I

I'm sure that's Ian Wallace as Pooh-Bah. Is there a list of the cast anywhere?

The only copy I have seen of this. Was it in a series?

I always thought that no-one could do this better than the recording of Martyn Green and Muriel Harding (early 1950s), but this is unbelievably good, so glad I found the clip and I can't understand why you can't get it on DVD. Valerie Masterson is indeed divine David, a beautiful and talented woman. Derek Hammond-Stroud had a very hard act to follow, but exceeded it. This is a class above.

Absolutely fabulous!! Many thanks for this!!

Is mikado racist?

Thanks all for the comments and interest. I haven't forgotten about this, it's just with the current lockdown situation I have less time available as I'm home schooling two young children. I will get back to it when things return to normal and time allows.

The great advantage of a studio sound recording is that, unlike a live stage performance, the dialogue can be spoken trippingly and without stagey voice projection. Since Gilbert's dialogue is often prosy and verbose, it benefits greatly in this medium when delivered by skilled actor/singers like these in a more natural style. Thanks for this excellent upload.

Where is this clip from ?

Valerie Masteron--the best G&S soprano ever.

She gives a little glance DIRECTLY into the camera on her penultimate not "and"... I. Absolutely perfectly executed. Wow!