Thespis by Gilbert & Sullivan

Extracts from Act One of Thespis in a new performing edition created by Anthony Baker & Timothy Henty. The vocal score is now available to buy at www.lulu.com.

Performed at the Normansfield Theatre, Teddington on March 8th and 9th 2008, Starring Richard Suart as Thespis.

The Vocal Score with complete dialogue of this performing version is now available to purchase at Lulu.com - details at www.timothyhenty.com

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Performing
• Arts
• Opera
• Thespis
• Gilbert
• and
• Sullivan
• Operetta
• Burlesque
• Timothy
• Henty
• Tim
• Anthony
• Baker
• Tony

[oboewizard]

This looks great - I wish they would make the entire production available on DVD. There is a theory that Sullivan actually used much of the music for Thespis in Pirates when he had left his drafts for Pirates back in England and was staring at a deadline. Perhaps this is why he collected all the orchestra parts and score to Thespis which then disappeared. Who knows, but we do know that "Climbing Over the Rocky Mt." is originally from Thespis. Great Work!

[darkSorceror]

The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Victoria is putting on this production in April this year. Anyone in Australia, in particular Melbourne, should certainly come and see it! I'm in the chorus and it's soooooooo very much fun! Much kudos to Baker and Henty for this wonderful reconstruction with an excellent interpolation of the music of Sullivan and Offenbach :)

[obgfoster]

charming!

[toddbow1]

This looks really good, haven't seen this before, has excerpts from Pirates in it, and seems really entertaining

[cigarman35]

I have to say this looks like a birlliant production - very slick and well directed. I would love to see the full production. I like the fact that G&S has been very cleverly twinned with Offenbach in this,, it's superb.

[RossiniSoprano]

I echo the comment about wishing to see the entire production. I have seen other work of Tony's and am a huge fan. Setting in the original Victorian time with the same type of production values...lighting, set, costume...works wonderfully well, and the music choices seem ideal. Surely the best reconstruction of Thespis to have been done so far; it makes the work viable for other companies to produce along with their normal G&S fare. Bravi!

[captainfairfield]

Nice to see THESPIS being performed using Sullivan's music. Great to see Suart as well!

[idiotcheese]

Excellent. Wish I could have seen this performance.

[prchristman]

Wish I had a time machine. I'd go to 1871 to hear Sullivan's original score to this operetta, which is mostly lost. To be performed today, a contemporary composer must compose. Or, as was done here, music from Sullivan's other operas must be applied to "Thespis."

Music from Sullivan and Offenbach is used here. It's pleasing, as all these modern-day productions of Thespis are. Sullivan used the tunes from Thespis in his later operas, supposedly. And the score was never published. Sigh!!