The 1970s Decca / D'Oyly Carte Recordings

In the 1950s and 60s the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company went through yet another golden age and set down on record with Decca some of the finest G&S recordings ever made.  Both on record and in the theatre the casts of this classic period were a hard act to follow and it is little wonder that the 70s recordings did not become instant favourites with many.  However, 25-30 years have passed since these recording were issued and, without such immediate comparison, and with a new generation of G&S fans, they hold up as being extremely strong recordings containing some fine singing and characterisations, superbly recorded by Decca with especial care taken over capturing the detail of Sullivan's orchestrations.  In fabulous restored sound from the Decca master tapes, issued under licence from Universal (Decca) in these limited private editions, it is hoped that these first official CD releases of these recordings will at last do full justice to the wonderful, much maligned, and now revered, D'Oyly Carte performers of the 1970s. Complete with notes, variously, from 'experts in their field' David Steadman, Tony Watts and Jim Craig.

All are with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Royston Nash, and with casts including, variously, John Reed, Kenneth Sandford, John Ayldon, Geoffrey Shovelton, Michael Rayner, Meston Reid, Gareth Jones, Colin Wright, Malcolm Williams, James Conroy-Ward, Barry Clark, Jon Ellison, Michael Buchan, Patricia Leonard, Pamela Field, Julia Goss, Lyndsie Holland, Barbara Lilley, Judi Merri, Jane Metcalfe, Beti Lloyd-Jones, Suzanne O'Keefe, etc.