Princess Ida (Act 1)-G&S-1955,Pratt,Godfrey,D'Oyly Carte

This lyrical, three act opera was first performed in 1884. It is positioned following 'Iolanthe' and precedes 'The Mikado'. The libretto satirizes women's education which, back in Gilbert's day, was just coming into fashion. This is the D'Oyly Carte 1955 recording, not recorded stereophonically. (Decca's first two stereo G&S recordings were 'Pirates of Penzance', and 'The Mikado', both with Peter Pratt, recorded in 1957). (Information from Oak Apple Press online).
-------Link to Act 2 • Princess Ida (Act 2)-G...
-------Link to Act 3 • Princess Ida (Act 3)-G...
--------------------------CAST----------------------------
King Hildebrand-----------------------------------------------Fisher Morgan
Hilarion--(His Son)-------------------------------------------Thomas Round
Cyril--(Hilarion's Friends)-----------------------------------Leonard Osborn
Florian--(------------------)----------------------------------------Jeffrey Skitch
King Gama---------------------------------------------------------Peter Pratt
Arac--(His Sons)------------------------------------------------Donald Adams
Guron--(--------)-----------------------------------------------------John Banks
Scynthius--(--------)-----------------------------------------------Trevor Hills
Princess Ida--(Gama's Daughter)------------------------Victoria Sladen
Lady Blanche--(Professor of Abstract Science)--Ann Drummond-Grant
Lady Psyche--(Professor of Humanities)-------------Muriel Harding
Melissa --(Lady Blanche's Daughter)-------------------Beryl Dixon
Sacharissa--(A Graduate)-------------------------------------Cynthia Morey
D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
Conductor: Isidore Godfrey
Please enjoy this (previously unplayed) recording, straight from the 1955 vinyl, in all its monaural glory.
For entertainment purposes only. I own nothing here.

[@paulschlitz5256]

Very underrated among the G&S oeuvre. Act II is a string of pearls

[@millysinden]

My mum, Beryl Dixon playing 'Melissa'...... hence me being called Melissa!

[@richardduployen6429]

I look forward to hearing her again i Acts ll & lll. I have a feeling she stood in for Joyce Wright as Phoebe at what was the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, when I was a boy. I think I wrote to your parents regarding an audition for Carl Rosa. They blotted their copy with a bad production of "Yeomen" at the Tower of London. How could they fail when the spectacular production in the moat there was so brilliant? Do you know if Joyce Wright performed as Phoebe in it? I heard that recently. I thought it was Anne Pashley. There was a second cast later with Tommy Steele. Excellent! Are you a theatrical?

[@dabedwards]

Thank you for this upload. I prefer this clear open mono sound to the later richer recording with Sargent.

[@richardduployen6429]

Thank you. You can't beat the Goddie magic. He interprets the scores. Sargent adopted strange tempi sometimes also with classical scores.. "Here's a man of jollity" one on D.C. (stereo) one on Glyndebourne. There are tempo markings in the scores. It was remarked that in "Ida" stereo he rushes the stately "Now wouldn't you like?". As for "Jump for Joy" ensemble, it's hardly that.

[@PuppetShows2300]

I wish Fisher Morgan had recorded more. He's fantastic as King Hildebrand.

[@vincentconyngham3108]

No mention of Muriel Harding as Lady Psyche.