A handsome specially-priced and well-performed G&S set

This boxed set of the Gilbert & Sullivan operettas is a wonderful set for anyone who loves them. I know this is an expensive garganum set, but the investment is well worth it. This entire cycle sees the D'Oyly Carte on top form, with many superb artists like John Reed, Donald Adams and Kenneth Sandford, in handsome, lively, characterful and idiomatic performances of all the Gilbert & Sullivan operettas (except Thespis), with a few extra pieces like Cox & Box and the Pineapple Poll ballet thrown in for good measure.

There are many delectable highlights to sample from this boxed set, but it is worth mentioning only a few. Since this boxed set includes all the operettas except Thespis, there are some delights to be found in the rarities like Utopia Limited and the Grand Duke. It's true that these G&S works are rather underappreciated, but there are many delights such as Meston Reid's "A Tenor, all singers above" and John Ayldon's enthusiastic rendition of the Roulette Song, not to mention the Christy Minstrels parody in Utopia Limited. Even in the well-loved operas, you can find the Company in full form, even in those glorious five recordings that include full dialogue. John Reed is a patter baritone for all seasons, capruting not just the tragicomic dimensions of Jack Point but the rollicking humour of the Lord Chancellor, the Learned Judge and Sir Joseph. Thomas Round is a supple tenor with a rich, characterful voice, and the female roles, especially among Valerie Masterson, Gillian Knight and Jean Hindmarsh are well-handled too.

If I had any caveats about this set, it would be that I would rather this box had included the 1957 versions of Mikado and Pirates of Penzance. I bear no grudge against the Mikado with Nash or the 1968 Godfrey Pirates, but the dry, cramped acoustics of the Decca Studios are no match for the spacious sound of the Walthamstow Assembly Hall where the early stereo sets were made. Also, as much as I enjoy John Reed and Valerie Masterson, I find that John Ayldon, Colin Wright and Lyndsie Holland have grating voices that nearly made this Mikado unlistenable. The other caveat is that this boxed set does not come with a libretto, which is a pity, so that new listeners can follow along when they listen to these operettas the first time. This can be solved by buying copies of the complete G&S libretto in Ian Bradley's Annotated G&S. But other than that, this set is a treasure trove of untold riches for any fan of G&S.

In short, this is truly a wonderful set, and an essential purchase for any hardcore G&S fan.