Gilbert & Sullivan - Patience / Hammond-Stroud, Fryatt, Collins, Opera World

Rating:
Summary: Positively Early English!
Review: A couple of weeks ago I was reading an annotated version "The Picture of Dorian Gray," in which the editor mentioned the rôle Wilde played in popularising this operetta in the States. Since I recognised from the start the comic possibilities inherent in the Aesthetic movement, I couldn't wait until I saw what that genius Gilbert had made of it. I was certainly not disappointed--first by the libretto and score, and then by the marvellous sets, costuming, and vocal casting. The best cast members were the ladies of the Ambrosian Opera Chorus. The languorous, disdainful grace of their movements during the first scene with Patience was perfect, and their singing tight and very together throughout the entire show. I agree with David Olivenbaum that Anne Collins made a great Lady Jane, but I must say that the three leads (Bunthorne, Grosvenor, and Patience) were well-cast even though they don't fit the parts physically--having two aging men play young heartthrobs and a pretty blonde play a "plain, homely, unattractive" girl actually added to the irony and humour of the situation.
A must-see for anyone with a languid love for lilies, a passion for the super-aesthetical, and a predilection for transcendental dialogue--and for those who like to make wicked fun of the mincing, lily-loving, poetic types.

Rating:
Summary: Positively Early English!
Review: A couple of weeks ago I was reading an annotated version "The Picture of Dorian Gray," in which the editor mentioned the rôle Wilde played in popularising this operetta in the States. Since I recognised from the start the comic possibilities inherent in the Aesthetic movement, I couldn't wait until I saw what that genius Gilbert had made of it. I was certainly not disappointed--first by the libretto and score, and then by the marvellous sets, costuming, and vocal casting. The best cast members were the ladies of the Ambrosian Opera Chorus. The languorous, disdainful grace of their movements during the first scene with Patience was perfect, and their singing tight and very together throughout the entire show. I agree with David Olivenbaum that Anne Collins made a great Lady Jane, but I must say that the three leads (Bunthorne, Grosvenor, and Patience) were well-cast even though they don't fit the parts physically--having two aging men play young heartthrobs and a pretty blonde play a "plain, homely, unattractive" girl actually added to the irony and humour of the situation.
A must-see for anyone with a languid love for lilies, a passion for the super-aesthetical, and a predilection for transcendental dialogue--and for those who like to make wicked fun of the mincing, lily-loving, poetic types.

Rating:
Summary: Positively Early English!
Review: A couple of weeks ago I was reading an annotated version "The Picture of Dorian Gray," in which the editor mentioned the rôle Wilde played in popularising this operetta in the States. Since I recognised from the start the comic possibilities inherent in the Aesthetic movement, I couldn't wait until I saw what that genius Gilbert had made of it. I was certainly not disappointed--first by the libretto and score, and then by the marvellous sets, costuming, and vocal casting. The best cast members were the ladies of the Ambrosian Opera Chorus. The languorous, disdainful grace of their movements during the first scene with Patience was perfect, and their singing tight and very together throughout the entire show. I agree with David Olivenbaum that Anne Collins made a great Lady Jane, but I must say that the three leads (Bunthorne, Grosvenor, and Patience) were well-cast even though they don't fit the parts physically--having two aging men play young heartthrobs and a pretty blonde play a "plain, homely, unattractive" girl actually added to the irony and humour of the situation.
A must-see for anyone with a languid love for lilies, a passion for the super-aesthetical, and a predilection for transcendental dialogue--and for those who like to make wicked fun of the mincing, lily-loving, poetic types.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Although I knew absolutely nothing about aestheticism before I saw this, I got a general idea of what it was about upon seeing it. But you don't have to know about aestheticism to enjoy this. The music is wonderful as well as the cast. The only weak spot in the cast is the Duke (I forget the actor's name) who has a very annoying speaking voice during his dialogue scenes. To make up for that, however, he has quite a powerful and beautiful tenor singing voice. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Although I knew absolutely nothing about aestheticism before I saw this, I got a general idea of what it was about upon seeing it. But you don't have to know about aestheticism to enjoy this. The music is wonderful as well as the cast. The only weak spot in the cast is the Duke (I forget the actor's name) who has a very annoying speaking voice during his dialogue scenes. To make up for that, however, he has quite a powerful and beautiful tenor singing voice. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!!! Positively hysterical!!
Review: It is very difficult to find good videos of Gilbert and Sullivan anywhere ... If you like G&S and you don't have this opera, buy it -- it's purely delightful. You may also look up some of the other wonderful operas in this series.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!!! Positively hysterical!!
Review: It is very difficult to find good videos of Gilbert and Sullivan anywhere ... If you like G&S and you don't have this opera, buy it -- it's purely delightful. You may also look up some of the other wonderful operas in this series.

Rating:
Summary: Would have been 1 star without Anne Collins
Review: Skip it. It falls on its own flat feet. Get the brilliant Douglas/Olsen/Warlow Australian Opera production instead. It's a live on-stage performance and hysterically perfect!

Rating:
Summary: Very good traditional Gilbert & Sullivan
Review: This is a very good and very traditional production of Patience. The singing is very good, the costumes & staging are very good, and were it not for the poor diction of some of the singers which makes the words hard to understand, I would have rated it 5 stars.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best version of "Patience"
Review: We did "Patience" about thirty years ago at UConn, set in a lovely monochromatic design concept, which resembled a Blue Willow china pattern. The production was chock full of references to Oscar Wilde, Coventry Patmore, et alia. It was very campy and very well done. This video seems somewhat ho-hum in that Judith DePaul HAD to video the COMPLEAT G+S for the project in the UK in the Eighties. I get the feeling that the producers just said, about "Patience", we "we have to do it." It is too bad. "Patience", in many ways, is Gilbert's most brilliant libretto. Sullivan is not as his best here, but the score is certainly very good. I do agree with another reviewer here in that the work is far more topical than "Mikado" or "Pirates". But for anyone who knows the Aesthetic movement of the 1880s in London will howl at this very funny opera.

(Stratford Canada...PLEASE do this show! Your other G+S shows on DVD are brilliant!!!)