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Victoria High School Theatre
November 7, 2009
"One day [Sir Arthur Sullivan] presented me [Dame Ethyl Smyth] with a copy of the full score of The Golden Legend, adding: 'I think this is the best thing I've done, don't you?' and when truth compelled me to say that in my opinion The Mikado is his masterpiece, he cried out: 'O you wretch!' But though he laughed I could see he was disappointed."
It was Arthur Sullivan's tragedy that he saw himself as a composer of serious music, whereas to everybody else it was (and is) obvious that his particular genius lay in the realm of operetta and in cooperating with one of history's finest librettists. (Of course, without his serious output it is quite possible that Sullivan would not have received his knighthood, the awarding of which seems to have rankled somewhat with his partner, as if being saddled with the middle name "Schwenk" were not sufficient.)
While not everybody agrees with Dame Ethyl as to the supremacy of The Mikado - Iolanthe has strong claims to be musically the finest of all - since its first performance, in 1885 The Mikado, or The Town of Titipu, to give it its full title, has been the most popular of all of Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy Operas.
Not that it has all been plain sailing. In 1907, the British government actually banned performances of Mikado in London for some six weeks, coinciding with the state visit of Prince Fushimi Sadanaru.
Which was unfortunate, as the prince had been hoping to see a production during his stay.
Saturday's concert performance by the Victoria Gilbert and Sullivan Society and the Civic Orchestra of Victoria was certainly sufficient to take one's mind off the appalling weather (I, for one, got extremely wet walking from the car to the theatre) and the lack of costumes and scenery allowed one to concentrate more than usual on the music itself.
The nine principals were very good, even though it must be admitted that they did not all mix acting and singing abilities in equal measure. Nevertheless, they all held one's attention, whether speaking or singing, and prevented the hard seats in the hall from becoming too much of a distraction.
The chorus of members of the Victoria G&S Society, was quite excellent - it is rare to hear a group with equal numbers of men's and women's voices - from the opening "If you want to know who we are" to the final ensemble "For he's gone and married Yum-Yum." Moreover, the sheer quality of the singing emphasised Sullivan's genius in keeping back the women's voices until the finale of act one: the magnificence of the sound at this point is wonderfully uplifting.
Arrayed in front of the stage, from one side of the hall to the other, the Civic Orchestra of Victoria provided excellent accompaniment. For the most part they were, not exactly unobtrusive but completely supportive, with excellent ensemble and tuning, allowing singing and plot to come through clearly. (Well, perhaps not quite as clearly as I should have liked, at least under the balcony; I gather there was far less of a problem in other parts of the hall.)
George Corwin directed a magnificently coherent performance, getting the most out of the entire ensemble. And how often is it that we hear a full-sized orchestra in this repertoire?
All in all this was a superb afternoon's entertainment; it is repeated in Duncan on November 14 and Sidney (alas sold out) on November 15.
Let us hope that this is simply the first of many such collaborations.
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