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:
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!