• Shows
  • Synopsis
    • Shows A
    • Shows B
    • Shows C
    • Shows D
    • Shows E
    • Shows F
    • Shows G
    • Shows H
    • Shows I
    • Shows J
    • Shows K
    • Shows L
    • Shows M
    • Shows N
    • Shows O
    • Shows P
    • Shows Q
    • Shows R
    • Shows S
    • Shows T
    • Shows U
    • Shows V
    • Shows W
    • Shows X
    • Shows Y
    • Shows Z
  • Chronology
  • Revues
  • Genres
  • Youth Shows
  • Lehar Operetta
  • Pantomime
• Books
• Reference
  • Composers
  • Bibligraphy
• Cast Recordings
• Rights Holders
  • Showlists
    • Shows A
    • Shows B
    • Shows C
    • Shows D
    • Shows E
    • Shows F
    • Shows G
    • Shows H
    • Shows I
    • Shows J
    • Shows K
    • Shows L
    • Shows M
    • Shows N
    • Shows O
    • Shows P
    • Shows Q
    • Shows R
    • Shows S
    • Shows T
    • Shows U
    • Shows V
    • Shows W
    • Shows X
    • Shows Y
    • Shows Z
  • Addresses
• Homepage

powered by FreeFind

 

The Gondoliers

or The King of Barataria

First produced at the Savoy Theatre, London, on Saturday, 7th December, 1889, under the
management of Mr. D'OYLY CARTE, and reproduced there on Tuesday, March 22nd, 1898, under the same management.

Music by Arthur Sullivan (orchestrated by Peter Murray) : Lyrics and Libretto by W.S. Gilbert

Savoy Theatre, London - 7 December, 1P889
Park Theatre, New York - 7 January, 1890

THE STORY (Venice/Barataria; 1750)

At birth, Casilda, the 21 year old daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro, was married by proxy to the then infant son and heir of the exceedingly wealthy King of Barataria. Unfortunately, the King became a rather bigoted Wesleyan Methodist, and the Grand Inquisitor, determined that such a trend should not continue, arranged for the heir to be kidnapped and taken to Venice. There he was placed in the care of a respectable Gondolier who raised him alongside his own son. Now Gondoliers themselves, his 'sons', Marco and Giuseppe, have recently selected a bride each - Gianetta and Tessa - from their large female following and are, therefore, upset to learn that, as heir apparent to the throne, one of them may have to sacrifice his bride in order to marry Casilda. She is not happy with the situation either as she is in love with Luiz. As Marco and Giuseppe's 'father' has since died, the only person who can identify the Prince is Inez who was his childhood nurse. When called upon to make her judgement she reveals that neither is in fact the King's son because when the baby was kidnapped she substituted her own child in his place. Therefore, the true heir to the throne of Barataria is Luiz. This proves very satisfactory to all parties as the Gondoliers can keep their brides and Casilda can both fulfil the proxy and marry the one she loves.

Dramatis Persona. (Original casts)

	7th December, 1889	22nd March, 1898
THE DUKE OF PLAZA-TORO (a Grandee of Spain)	Mr. FRANK WYATT	Mr. WILLIAM ELTON
Luiz (his Attendant)	Mr. BROWNLOW	Mr. JONES HEWSON
DON ALHAMBRA DEL BOLERO (the Grand Inquisitor)	Mr. DENNY	Mr. WALTER PASSMORE
MARCO PALMIERI	Mr. COURTICE POUNDS	Mr. CHARLES KENNINGHAM
GIUSEPPE PALMIERI	Mr. RUTLAND BARRINGTON	Mr. HENRY A. LYTTON
(Venetian Gondoliers)
ANTONIO	Mr. METCALF	Mr. LEONARD RUSSELL
FRANCESCO	Mr. ROSE	Mr. CORY JAMES
GIORGIO	Mr. DE PLEDGE	Mr. H. GORDON
ANNIBALE	Mr. WILBRAHAM	Mr. C. CHILDERSTONE
THE DUCHESS OF PLAZA-TORO	MISS ROSINA BRANDRAM	MISS ROSINA BRANDRAM
CASILDA (her Daughter)	MISS DECIMA MOORE	MISS RUTH VINCENT
(Contadine)
GIANETTA	MISS GERALDINE ULMAR	MISS EMMIE OWEN
TESSA	MISS JESSIE BOND	MISS LOUIE HENRI
FIAMETTA	MISS LAWRENCE	MISS ETHEL JACKSON
VITTORIA	Miss COLE	MISS JESSIE ROSE
GIULIA	MISS PHYLLIS	MISS MARGARET MOYSE
INEZ (the King's Foster-mother)	MISS BERNARD	MISS JESSIE POUNDS

Chorus of Gondoliers and Contadine, Men-at-Arms, Heralds, and Pages.

Musical Numbers:

OVERTURE

1. CHORUS OF CONTADINE (with Solos) - " List and learn "
   
2. ENTRANCE OF Casilda, Duchess, Luiz, and Duke, " From the sunny Spanish shore "
   
3. SONG (Duke of Plaza-Toro), " In enterprise of martial kind "
   
4. RECIT. (Casilda and Luis), " O rapture, when alone together "
   
5. DUET (Casilda and Luis), " There was a time "
   
6. SONG (Don Alhambra, with Casilda, Luis, Duke, and Duchess), " No possible doubt whatever "
   
7. RECIT. (Casilda and Don Alhambra), " But, bless my heart "
   
8. QUINTET (Casilda, Duchess, Luiz, Duke, and Grand Inquisitor), " Try we life long "
   
9. CHORUS, " Bridegroom and Bride "
   with Solo (Tessa), " When a merry maiden marries "
   
10. FINALE ACT I — SONG (Gianetta), " Kind sir, you cannot have the heart "
    QUARTET (Tessa, Gianetta, Marco, and Giuseppe), " A regular Royal Queen "
    
11. CHORUS OF MEN (with Marco and Giuseppe)
    
12. SONG (Giuseppe) (with Chorus), " Rising early in the morning "
    
13. SONG (Marco), " Take a pair of sparkling eyes "
    
14. SCENA (Chorus of Girls, Quartet, Duet, and Chorus) " Here we are at the risk of our lives "
    
15. CHORUS AND DANCE, " Dance a Cachucha "
    
16. SONG (Don Alhambra, with Marco and Giuseppe), " There lived a king "
    
17. QUARTET (Gianetta, Tessa, Marco, and Giuseppe), " In a contemplative fashion "
    
18. CHORUS OF MEN (with Duke and Duchess), " With ducal pomp "
    
19. SONG (Duchess), " On the day when I was wedded "
    
20. RECIT. and DUET (Duke and Duchess), " Small titles and orders "
    
21. GAVOTTE (Casilda, Duchess, Marco, Giuseppe, and Duke), " I am a courtier grave and serious "
    
22. QUINTET & FINALE (Casilda, Gianetta, Tessa, Marco, Giuseppe, and Chorus)

INSTRUMENTATION (Total number of books=21)

3 Violins 1
3 Violins II
2 Violas
2 Cellos
1 Double Bass
1 Flute
1 Oboe
1 Clarinet
1 Horn
1 Trumpet
1 Trombone
1 Timpani
1 Percussion
1 Piano (optional - annotated vocal score)
1 Full Score