Of all of Arthur Sullivan's operas, The Beauty Stone (1898) is the most obscure, not only because it was a failure after a run of 50 performances at the Savoy Theatre, but because it was regarded as unusual for being a serious romantic music drama, rather unlike the successful comedies Sullivan had written with W.S. Gilbert. Setting an overly long and dialogue-heavy book by Arthur Wing Pinero and Joseph William Domyns Carr, Sullivan composed a lyrical and sentimental score that flows with lovely melodies and warm ...
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Of all of Arthur Sullivan's operas, The Beauty Stone (1898) is the most obscure, not only because it was a failure after a run of 50 performances at the Savoy Theatre, but because it was regarded as unusual for being a serious romantic music drama, rather unlike the successful comedies Sullivan had written with W.S. Gilbert. Setting an overly long and dialogue-heavy book by Arthur Wing Pinero and Joseph William Domyns Carr, Sullivan composed a lyrical and sentimental score that flows with lovely melodies and warm orchestration, but lacks the satire and wit that gave spice to his collaborations with Gilbert. This recording by Rory Macdonald and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales is a pleasant rediscovery of a neglected charmer, and it surely makes a better impression than the original performances did, because two hours' worth of the wordy dialogue has been removed, leaving Sullivan's delightful music. But even the most enthusiastic fans of Sullivan's best work may find it lacks a distinctive edge and...
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Add this copy of Sullivan: Beauty Stone to cart. $59.75, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2013 by Chandos.
