Gilbert & Sullivan Recorded Ephemera   Amusing caricature, exaggerated farce, impudent imitation, good-natured mockery and humorous burlesque were--and still often are--circumstances in which Gilbert & Sullivan operas often "found themselves."  True humor must be based upon the basic truths of human nature in order to capture the quality of being laughable and comical.  Gilbert & Sullivan certainly did that with their "character caricatures,"  voluble lyrics, dramaturgical imbroglios and, of course, all conjoined by the ubiquitous G&S melodies.  The Durbeck Archive has diligently sought to aggrandize the scope of archiving the serious and the silly of Gilbert and Sullivan recordings.  Here are some of the opera ephemera from the Archive.   THE MIKADO Sung in Spanish (with an all Spanish cast) AudioVisuals de Sarrià, S.A. L 1285/86; Barcelona, Spain Note: a Braille message on the album jacket and Braille liner notes.   THE BLACK MIKADO English  (West End) Cast Transatlantic Records, TRA 300 THE MIKADO (NBC-TV Prod, with all all-star cast) Columbia Records, OS 2022 THE COOLEST MIKADO The Gilbert & Sullivan Jazz Workshop with each character/role represented by a different instrument Andex Records, 25201   GILBERT & SULLIVAN AND DANNY KAYE Decca (USA)10" DL  5094 Autographed by Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine Kaye   DIE YOM BONDITTEN aka THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Sung in Yiddish by the Kadiman Group of Hadassah - NYC  an all female cast Banner Records B 059; 10"LP DICK DEADEYE (based on Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta characters) film soundtrack recording of this English "pop" version of G&S standards with occasional new lyrics G.M. Records, GML 1018; England AN EVENING WITH W.S. GILBERT featuring Lloyd Harris as William Schwenk Gilbert Original Cast Records; OC 8026   PATTER SONGS from GILBERT AND SULLIVAN. Nelson Eddy, baritone Columbia Records, ML 4027   MARTYN  GREEN'S GILBERT &  SULLIVAN     Columbia Records, ML 4643   GILBERT AND SULLIVAN REVISITED w/Jim Timmens and his Jazz All-Stars Warner Bros. Records, W 1278   GILBERT AND SULLIVAN RESTYLED w/Jerry Duane Singers and Manny Albam and his Orchestra Dot Records, DLP 25172   THE CHIEFTAIN (Sullivan without Gilbert)   Sawston Light Opera Group. Rare Recorded Editions Records; SRRE 181/82   SPENDRIFT LIBERATE A Pop-Rock version of Gilbert & Sullivan's operetta The Pirates of Penzance Steady Records; 111 Anna Russell sings! again? Anna Russell, Concert Comedienne John Coveart, pianist Columbia Records, ML 4733, 12" LP, mono Contains her famous Ring of the Nibelungs analysis as well as "How to Write Your Own Gilbert and Sullivan Opera."   The Archive had more of her records than she did!!!! DER MIKADO Dramatic Narration;  all singing in German. Jecklin Records; Jecklin 1010 THE COOL MIKADO Original Soundtrack Recording EMI-Parlophone (England) PMC 1194   The Tailors of Poznance The Goldberg and Solomon Opera Company (Jewish G&S)   Eyemark Records EMPL 1005   Return to The Gallery                    Return to Home Page