This book considers and discusses aspects of the management of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company in the twentieth century since the death of its founder Richard D’Oyly Carte, and concentrates on key events that contributed to its demise in 1982. In this book, Paul Seeley follows the analytical model that proposes no single factor triggered the collapse, but rather several, both external and internal. In the case of an opera company the external factors may include public taste and market forces, but more significant are the internal factors such as the management decisions taken in response to external factors and how these compare with the original artistic aims, aspirations and business models of the founder. This is a study by someone with close observation of the administration; at the 1982 demise, Seeley was assistant to the company manager, having earlier served on the music staff. The book is a must-read for music historians, theatre historians and arts-management professionals; as an uncompromisingly critical history of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company it is designed to serve a wider public, not just the Gilbert and Sullivan opera specialist, but anyone keen to debate the desirability of private or public sponsorship of the performing arts.

The captivating story of the famed Savoy Hotel’s founders, told through three generations—and one hundred years—of glamour and high society. For the gondoliers-themed birthday dinner, the hotel obligingly flooded the courtyard to conjure the Grand Canal of Venice. Dinner was served on a silk-lined floating gondola, real swans were swimming in the water, and as a final flourish, a baby elephant borrowed from London Zoo pulled a five-foot high birthday cake. In three generations, the D'Oyly Carte family and London's Savoy Hotel pioneered the idea of the luxury hotel and the modern theater, propelled Gilbert and Sullivan to lasting stardom, made Oscar Wilde a transatlantic celebrity, inspired a P. G. Wodehouse series, and popularized early jazz, electric lights, and Art Deco. Following the history of the iconic Savoy Hotel through three generations of the D'Oyly Carte family, The Secret Life of the Savoy brings to life the extraordinary cultural legacy of the most famous hotel in the world.

D'Oyly Carte: Through the Lens is a beautiful book of photographs of the world-renowned D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, most of which have never previously been seen.

In this, the first book to focus on the original cast members of the classic Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas, world-renowned musical theater expert Kurt Gänzl provides a concise history of the writing and production of each opera, vividly colored by the often little-known life stories of these early performers. Meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated with rare photographs, Gilbert and Sullivan: The Players and the Plays delves into the professional and personal lives of the British and American actors and singers who created the celebrated "famous fourteen" Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

'D'Oyly Carte: The Inside Story' looks at the life of the historic D'Oyly Carte Opera Company between 1950 and its sad demise in 1982. After thrilling audiences on both sides of the Atlantic from the time of Queen Victoria with its productions of Gilbert and Sullivan, the last great touring repertory company said farewell to its audiences after 107 years. Although many books have been written about the company founded by Richard D'Oyly Carte in 1875, none has been from the perspective of its members. This book details the working life of every department of the famous company, from its London management to the wardrobe department, as told by Roberta Morrell, herself a performer with the company for 10 years. Having travelled all over the UK to interview her former colleagues, Roberta uses their stories and recollections to present an insight into the world of a theatre company on tour for 48 weeks of every year. Personal tales of travel, theatrical digs, mad-cap parties, on-stage disasters, overseas tours and glamorous occasions are told by singers, musicians, back-stage staff and senior managers proud to have been a part of the D'Oyly Carte story. Hilarious anecdotes are mingled with serious fact, from eccentric landladies of the 1950s, to the logistics of presenting a Royal Command Performance at Windsor Castle. Mix in a little intrigue over the ownership of the Savoy Hotel and you have an entertaining account of a unique theatrical institution that will appeal to any reader.

'D'Oyly Carte: The Inside Story' looks at the life of the historic D'Oyly Carte Opera Company between 1950 and its sad demise in 1982. After thrilling audiences on both sides of the Atlantic from the time of Queen Victoria with its productions of Gilbert and Sullivan, the last great touring repertory company said farewell to its audiences after 107 years. Although many books have been written about the company founded by Richard D'Oyly Carte in 1875, none has been from the perspective of its members. This book details the working life of every department of the famous company, from its London management to the wardrobe department, as told by Roberta Morrell, herself a performer with the company for 10 years. Having travelled all over the UK to interview her former colleagues, Roberta uses their stories and recollections to present an insight into the world of a theatre company on tour for 48 weeks of every year. Personal tales of travel, theatrical digs, mad-cap parties, on-stage disasters, overseas tours and glamorous occasions are told by singers, musicians, back-stage staff and senior managers proud to have been a part of the D'Oyly Carte story. Hilarious anecdotes are mingled with serious fact, from eccentric landladies of the 1950s, to the logistics of presenting a Royal Command Performance at Windsor Castle. Mix in a little intrigue over the ownership of the Savoy Hotel and you have an entertaining account of a unique theatrical institution that will appeal to any reader.

Most books written about Gilbert & Sullivan have focused on the authors rather than the works. With this detailed examination of all fourteen operas, Gayden Wren fills this void. His bold thesis finds the key to the operas' longevity, not in the clever lyrics, witty dialogue, or catchy music, but in their timeless themes, which speak to audiences as powerfully now as they did the first time the operas were performed. This volume is essential reading for any devotee of these enchanting works, or indeed for anyone who loves musical theater.