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Our great Mikado virtuous man

Opera details:

Opera title:

The Mikado

Composer:

Arthur Sullivan

Language:

English

Synopsis:

The Mikado Synopsis

Libretto:

The Mikado Libretto

Translation(s):

Not entered yet.

Aria details:

Type:

aria

Role(s):

Pish-Tush

Voice(s):

Baritone

Act:

1

Previous scene: Willow, Tit-Willow
Next scene: As some day it may happen

The Mikado (Act 1) - Sir Charles Mackerras & Welsh Nat'l Opera - Gilbert & Sullivan

Singer(s): Donald Adams Richard Van Allan Richard Suart

The Mikado was the ninth of fourteen Gilbert & Sullivan operatic collaborations. It opened on March 14, 1885, in London, where it ran at the Savoy Theatre for 672 performances. To this day, it is the most popular and most performed of their operas. It has also been translated into many languages.

Song Notations (courtesy of Anthony Rule):
"If you want to know who we are" - 00:00
"A Wand'ring Minstrel I" - 3:01
"Our great Mikado, virtuous man" - 7:21
"Young man, despair" - 10:18
Recit., "And have I journey'd for a month" - 13:02
"Behold the Lord High Executioner" - 13:52
"As some day it may happen" - 16:30
"Comes a train of little ladies" - 18:31
"Three little maids from school are we" - 20:44
"So please you, sir, we much regret" - 22:17
"Were you not Ko-Ko plighted" - 24:12
"I am so proud" - 26:41
Finale Act 1, "With aspect stern and gloomy stride" - 29:41
• "The threatened cloud has passed away" - 31:57
• "Your revels cease" - 34:08
• "For he's going to marry Yum-Yum" - (Pitti-Sing 37:23) 37:48
• "The hour of gladness" - 38:44
• "Ye torrents roar!" - 41:31

Link to Act 2
--CAST--

The Mikado of Japan--------------Donald Adams
Nanki-Poo-----------------------------Anthony Rolfe Johnson
Ko-Ko-----------------------------------Richard Suart
Pooh-Bah------------------------------Richard Van Allan
Pish-Tush-----------------------------Nicholas Folwell
Yum-Yum-----------------------------Marie McLaughlin
Pitti-Sing------------------------------Anne Howells
Peep-Bo-------------------------------Janice Watson
Katisha---------------------------------Felicity Palmer

Chorus of Schoolgirls, Nobles, Guards and Coolies

Orchestra and Chorus of the Welsh National Opera
Conductor: Sir Charles Mackerras

Recorded 1992

Information from album notes, Wikipedia, and oakapplepress dotcom.

Watch videos with other singers performing Our great Mikado virtuous man:

Libretto/Lyrics/Text/Testo:

Our great Mikado, virtuous man,
when he to rule our land began,
resolved to try a plan whereby young men might best be steadied.
So he decreed, in words succinct,
that all who flirted, leered, or winked
(unless connubially linked), should forthwith be beheaded.

And I expect you'll all agree that he was right to so decree.
And I am right, and you are right, and all is right as right can be!

This stern decree, you'll understand,
caused great dismay throughout the land;
For young and old and shy and bold were equally affected.
The youth who winked a roving eye,
or breathed a nonconnubial sigh,
was thereupon condemned to die--he usually objected.

And you'll allow, as I expect, that he was right to so object.
And I am right, and you are right, and everything is quite correct.

And so we straight let out on bail
a convict from the county jail,
whose head was next, on some pretext, comdemned to be mown off,
And made him headsman, for we said,
"Whose next to be decapited
cannot cut off another's head until he's cut his own off."

And we are right, I think you'll say, to argue in this kind of way.
And I am right, and you are right, and all is right, too-loo-ral-lay!

English Libretto or Translation:

Not entered yet.

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