"Come to my mansion, all of you!"
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"Come to my mansion, all of you!" |
In 1963, at the age of 13 my Father introduced me to Gilbert & Sullivan. This was done when I was browsing through a record store and saw the most wonderful record cover I had ever seen. It was "the World of Gilbert and Sullivan" on Ace of Clubs. The cover consisted of some of Gilbert's drawings and sketches from the Operettas. I had to have it. If I liked the outside so much then I knew I would love what was on the inside. Dad bought it for me.
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Soon "The World of Gilbert And Sullivan" became the most played recording in my (very small) collection. I knew all the songs off my heart and from those highlights my love grew as I slowly explored all the Operas.
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The house, in Manurewa, where I grew up |
In my 20's I spent some time in England and was able to see many productions with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and as I grew older my love for G & S grew stronger and wherever I travelled I tried to catch as many of the operas as I could. The Victoria State Opera in Melbourne and the Lamplighters in San Francisco have left vivid productions on my memory.
I also played flute in the orchestral pit during the 70s and 80s and was able to almost get inside the three works I was privileged to participate in during that time - "Pirates", "Yeomen" and "Gondoliers".
In the early 80s I produced a small but lively production called "The Unfamiliar Sullivan" and that became the vehicle to hear a lot of the music that had never made it to record.
My collection contains almost every recording available and a few very rare items.
Music is my life as well as my hobby. When I left school I worked for four years with Festival Records N.Z. Ltd. I then moved to the UK and worked for two and a half with R.C.A. Records (London office). On returning to New Zealand I managed Truetone Records, Broadway, Newmarket, for twenty one years. I now look after the classical department of Marbecks - the largest classical store in New Zealand (see link below).
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A year in the history of theatre in Melbourne 1881
  A year in the history of theatre in Melbourne 1882
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This home page furthers my interest and offers a vast selection of material that is not available anywhere else. This includes a Potted History, a look at Gilbert's Witticisms, a history of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, and an in depth look at their history in Australia and New Zealand. There is also a quiz in the Credits section. So you think you know your Gilbert and Sullivan?
I welcome any questions or comments.
Feel free to click on my face and drop me a line.
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Famous Dates worth Investigating
1845 One of the greatest entrepreneurs the theatre business has ever seen
1869 Read an extract from Gilbert's operetta Ages Ago 1870 Read an extract from Gilbert's play The Princess 1875 Read the history behind the production of Trial by Jury 1879 Check out the Baby Pinafore! 1881 Read the original Australian review for The Pirates of Penzance 1884 Critics comments on the first performance of Princess Ida 1885 Read the Review for The Mikado in the New York Times 1887 Check out one of the great years for Melbourne theatre 1888 Check out a year in the history of the Opera House Auckland 1888 Check out the original costumes for The Yeomen of the Guard 1889 Read the biography of the most popular Australian actress of the 1880s 1889 Read Sullivan's diary leading up to the first production of The Gondoliers 1890 Read all about the famous Carpet Quarrel 1900 Sullivan tells how he composes his operas in his own words |
A Gilbert & Sullivan Discography
The Gilbert & Sullivan Archive
A Who was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
For a comprehensive history of Australian Theatre
Selling Exhibition of G&S memorabilia
For one of the largest classical music stores in Australasia.
Looking for a personal card for that special occasion.
Also check these out:
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E-Mail Mel Moratti Auckland, New Zealand |
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