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< Summer Music, Cont'd. | Main | Misc. >

Go for the Overture, Stay for the Show

Posted at 12:52 AM on June 9, 2006 by Bob Christiansen
Filed under: The blog

Don't get me started on Gilbert & Sullivan...or rather, please get me started on G&S! Rex mentioned the North Star Opera production of "Iolanthe" which has probably the best overture of the lot. That's because its the one that Sullivan actually wrote himself and is a self-contained gem. Most of the others, delightful as they are, are pastiches put together by, mostly, Edward German from the best tunes from the operettas. Sullivan trusted him to do a good job of picking the top melodies and saved himself some extra work.

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