Experience the timeless wit and charm of Arthur Sullivan's "Ruddigore" in this exquisite 2004 recording, brought to life by the incomparable Gilbert and Sullivan. This comic opera, originally titled "Ruddygore," is a delightful blend of humor, romance, and the supernatural, all wrapped up in Sullivan's enchanting melodies and Gilbert's clever libretto.
"Ruddigore" tells the tale of Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd, a kind-hearted man cursed to commit a crime every day or face a gruesome death. The opera is filled with memorable characters, including the spirited Rose Maybud, the dashing Dick Dauntless, and the ghostly ancestors who haunt Sir Ruthven. With its catchy tunes, witty dialogue, and unexpected twists, "Ruddigore" is a joy from start to finish.
This Naxos release features a stellar cast and the skilled conducting of Isidore Godfrey, ensuring that every note and lyric is performed with precision and passion. The album spans 74 minutes, capturing the full richness of Sullivan's score, from the lively overture to the grand finale. Whether you're a seasoned opera enthusiast or new to the world of Gilbert and Sullivan, this recording of "Ruddigore" is sure to captivate and entertain.
The album includes all the classic songs and scenes that have made "Ruddigore" a beloved favorite, such as "Fair is Rose," "I once was meek as a new-born lamb," and "There grew a little flower." Each track is a testament to the enduring appeal of Arthur Sullivan's music and the timeless humor of W.S. Gilbert's storytelling. Dive into the whimsical world of "Ruddigore" and enjoy a performance that is as entertaining as it is musically superb.
2004 Naxos2004 Naxos
Tracks
Ruddigore: Overture (composed by Geoffrey Toye)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: Fair is Rose as bright May day (Chorus, Zorah)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: Sir Rupert Murgatroyd (Dame Hannah, Chorus)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: If somebody there chanced to be (Rose)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: I know a youth who loves a little maid (Robin, Rose)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: From the briny sea - Ballad: I shipped d'ye see (Chorus, Richard)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: Hornpipe (Orchestra)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: My boy, you may take it from me (Robin)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: If well his suit has sped (Chorus)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: In sailing o'er life's ocean wide - My heart says (Chorus, Richard, Robin, Rose, Ensemble)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: Cheerily carols the lark - To a garden full of posies (Margaret)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: Welcome, gentry, for your entry (Chorus)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: Oh why am I moody and sad? (Sir Despard)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: You understand? I think I do (Sir Despard, Richard)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: Hail the bride of seventeen Summers (Chorus)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: When the bands are blossoming (Rose, Hannah, Ensemble)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: Gavotte (Orchestra)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act I: Hold, bride and bridegroom - Finale (Sir Despard, Robin, Richard, Rose, Margaret, Hannah, Adam, Zorah, Chorus)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act II: I once was meek as a new-born lamb (Sir Ruthven, Adam)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act II: Happily coupled are we (Richard, Chorus)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act II: In bygone days I had thy love (Rose, Sir Ruthven, Richard, Chorus)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act II: Painted emblems of a race (Sir Ruthven, Ghosts)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act II: When the night wind howls (Sir Roderick)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act II: He yields! He answers to our call (Chorus, Sir Ruthven)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act II: I once was a very abandoned person (Despard, Margaret)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act II: My eyes are fully open (Sir Ruthven, Despard, Margaret)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act II: There grew a little flower (Hannah, Sir Ruthven)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Ruddigore: Act II: Finale (The Company)Arthur Sullivan, Martyn Green, Leonard Osborn, Richard Watson, Radley Flynn, Darrell Fancourt, Margaret Mitchell, Ella Halman, Deirdre Thurlow, Ann Drummond-Grant, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey
Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan, born in Lambeth in 1842, was a prodigious English composer whose musical genius was evident from a young age. By eight, he could play all the wind instruments in his father's band, and his first anthem was already composed. Sullivan's career spanned a wide range of genres, but he is most celebrated for his collaborations with the dramatist W.S. Gilbert. Together, they created fourteen iconic comic operas, including the beloved "H.M.S. Pinafore," "The Pirates of Penzance," and "The Mikado," which remain staples of the operatic repertoire.
Beyond his famous partnership with Gilbert, Sullivan's compositions include 24 operas, 11 major orchestral works, choral pieces, ballets, and numerous hymns and songs. His choral work "The Golden Legend" was once second only to Handel's "Messiah" in popularity. Sullivan's personal life was marked by a notable liaison with American socialite Mary Frances Ronalds, with whom he maintained a discreet but close relationship. Despite his prolific output and renown during his lifetime, Sullivan's serious works are less frequently performed today, overshadowed by the enduring popularity of his comic operas with Gilbert. His legacy endures as one of the most prolific and influential composers of the Victorian era.
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Arthur Sullivan
