Thespis, Gilbert and Sullivan's first partnership operetta hit London in 1871. It was a less than complete effort and it's become more incomplete since - there isn't a score of the music extant, so productions just pick their fav tunes from other G&S gems. (Or they may have started there? A line of academic scholarship argues that some were recycled later - 'Climbing over rocky mountain' reappears in Pirates.) The lyrics however were recorded. They were fairly patchy, but to those of us brought up on the classic G&S operas, highly recognisable. As were many of the themes.
The full libretto of Thespis is here, complete with absurd allusions to classical texts and the signature Gilbertian outrageous rhymes. And a patter song, of course. Like all G&S, it weaves in social criticisms and wry observations. Thespis' patter song begins
I once knew a chap who discharged a function
On the North South East West Diddlesex junction,
He was conspicuous exceeding,
For his affable ways and his easy breeding.
Although a Chairman of Directors,
He was hand in glove with the ticket inspectors,
He tipped the guards with bran-new fivers,
And sang little songs to the engine drivers.
It didn't of course end well.
Now where do we hear again the sharp irony of the too-good person in power who is destroyed by his kindness and destroys its recipients? Here's Denis Olsen as Don Alhambra in The Gondoliers advising the two who would be king against generosity. Words here. Note the conclusion... we need the class system.
In short, whoever you may be,
To this conclusion you'll agree,
When every one is somebodee,
Then no one's anybody!
Or was it Gilbert & Offenbach & Sullivan? Two years before Thespis, Gilbert had done the English translation of Meilhac's and Halévy's libretto for Offenbach's 1869 operetta 'Les Brigands.' Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann was his one enduring - and unfinished - serious opera. Sullivan, who learned and apparently in Thespis took - a lot from Offenbach, tried to make a similar leap into the ranks of serious composers with his romantic opera Ivanhoe, after eleven successful comic collaborations with Gilbert. But Ivanhoe unlike Hoffman, disappeared.
One reviewer writes of the only recording in existence - apart from the amateur one we'll watch (thankyou Dawn) - that while it had "identifiably Offenbachian tunes and harmonies" still "the oh-so-British lyrics tend to overcome any Gallic spirit the music might impart". Hear the complaint of Mercury, servant of the gods:
Well, well, it's the way of the world,
And will be through all it's futurity;
Though noodles are baroned and earled,
There's nothing for clever obscurity!
What's Mercury doing there? Well, that's the other link to Offenbach - Thespis is a sort of sequel to Orpheus in the Underworld. Like Offenbach, Gilbert was tickled by Gods and mortals interacting badly - and now they're old.
The full title of this "entirely original grotesque opera," is Thespis, or The Gods Grown Old. There's a delightful summary of the plot here, including some of the words of the pattersong - or a more studious synopsis in Wikipedia, here.
Our production is an amateur one by Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Victoria, a vibrant production by a highly experienced group of longtime enthusiasts. No subtitles, so if you want the words in detail, use the libretto to follow on! The full libretto of Thespis is here, and it's a hoot!
And after Thespis..?
Gilbert and Sullivan collaborated on fourteen comic operas (never called operettas) between 1871 and 1896. The long and often fractious history of the partnership is summarized here. The twelfth was The Gondoliers; or, The King of Barataria which premiered at the Savoy Theatre in December 1889 and ran for 554 performances (at that time the fifth longest-running piece of musical theatre in history). Operetta had hit Britain (except it was never called that. These were the Savoy Operas.)
Here's the link to the G&SArchive site with its resources on Gondoliers, including synopsis and libretto.
We'll dip into the hilarious production by the Australian Opera (from 1989, when AO still dressed up comedies and went over the top with sets).
At right - the Duke of PlazaToro, (he's the patter song man) exploring how his daughter's becoming the queen will repair his resources.
Full opera on YouTube?
And also, another treat. Mike Leigh made a brilliant film about the thorny collaboration of Gilbert, Sullivan and their producer, Richard D'Oyly Carte. You can view the film in full now on YouTube. Here's the link. And here's Leigh talking about the project.
Lyn, 14/8/24
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