Gilbert and Sullivan: Operettas

No other librettist or composer of the nineteenth century had their names so inseparably entwined: W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan were a unique Victorian-era phenomenon, today celebrated for their unparalleled contribution to British musical theatre. From Trial by Jury to The Gondoliers, this set featuring Sir Malcolm Sargent’s celebrated recordings brings together the best of their comic operas, brimming with the topsy-turvy worlds, witty dialogue and highly memorable music that were the key to their highly successful partnership. Sullivan was also the nation’s leading “serious music” composer at that time, and a number of his early concert works also feature — works which complement the comic operas in offering a foretaste of what was still to come.