Main content

How to listen to... Gilbert and Sullivan

Tom Service immerses himself in the topsy-turvy world of Gilbert and Sullivan, and finds things are seldom what they seem...

With Derek Clark of Scottish Opera and pianist and composer Richard Sisson.

Available now

29 minutes

Music Played

  • Arthur Sullivan

    The Pirates of Penzance, or The slave of duty - comic opera

    Performer: D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra. Conductor: John Pryce-Jones.
    • TER.
    • TER CDVIR-8316.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    The Pirates of Penzance, or The slave of duty - comic opera

    Performer: Welsh National Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • TELARC.
    • CD-80353.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    The Mikado, or The town of Titipu - comic opera

    Performer: The English National Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Peter Robinson.
    • That's Entertainment.
    • TER CDTER1121.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    The Mikado, or The town of Titipu - comic opera

    Performer: Jean Rigby. Performer: Lesley Garrett. Performer: Susan Bullock. Performer: The English National Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Peter Robinson.
    • That's Entertainment.
    • TER CDTER1121.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    The Mikado, or The town of Titipu - comic opera

    Performer: KPM Brass Band. Performer: Dick Walter.
    • KPM Music.
    • KPM 288 CD.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    The Pirates of Penzance, or The slave of duty - comic opera

    Performer: Richard Suart. Performer: Welsh National Opera Chorus. Performer: Welsh National Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • TELARC.
    • CD-80353.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Le Nozze di Figaro - opera in 4 acts K.492

    Performer: Ian Wallace. Performer: Glyndebourne Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Vittorio Gui.
    • GEMINI.
    • 4769422.
  • Gioachino Rossini

    Il Barbiere di Siviglia - opera in 2 acts

    Performer: Simon Keenlyside. Performer: Munich Radio Orchestra. Conductor: Ulf Schirmer.
    • SONY CLASSICAL.
    • 82876 884822.
  • Tom Lehrer

    THE ELEMENTS

    Performer: Tom Lehrer.
    • RHINO.
    • R2 79831.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    The Pirates of Penzance, or The slave of duty - comic opera

    Performer: D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus. Performer: D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra. Conductor: John Pryce-Jones.
    • THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT.
    • CDTER 21177.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    The Gondoliers, or The King of Barataria - comic opera in 2 acts

    Performer: Elsie Morison. Performer: John Cameron. Performer: Marjorie Thomas. Performer: Richard Lewis. Performer: Pro Arte Orchestra. Conductor: Malcolm Sargent.
    • WARNER CLASSICS.
    • 0950972.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    The Gondoliers, or The King of Barataria - comic opera in 2 acts

    Performer: John Cameron. Performer: Richard Lewis. Performer: Glyndebourne Chorus. Performer: Pro Arte Orchestra. Conductor: Malcolm Sargent.
    • WARNER CLASSICS.
    • 0950972.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    Ruddigore, or The witch's curse - comic opera vers. standard

    Performer: Glyndebourne Chorus. Performer: Pro Arte Orchestra. Conductor: Malcolm Sargent.
    • CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE.
    • 2134592.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    Ruddigore, or The witch's curse - comic opera vers. standard

    Performer: Bryn Terfel. Performer: Swedish R S O. Performer: RadiokΓΆren. Conductor: Paul Daniel.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
    • 477-8091.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    The Yeomen of the guard, or The merryman and his maid - opera

    Performer: Elsie Morison. Performer: Glyndebourne Chorus. Conductor: Malcolm Sargent.
    • WARNER CLASSICS.
    • 0951072.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    HMS Pinafore, or The lass that loved a sailor - comic opera in 2 acts

    Performer: Scottish Opera Chorus. Performer: Scottish Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Egarr.
    • LINN.
    • CKD 522.
  • Arthur Sullivan

    Utopia Limited, or The flowers of progress - comic opera

    Performer: The D’Oyly Carte Opera Company. Performer: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Royston Nash.
    • DECCA.
    • 473 6622.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 13 Jun 2021 17:00
  • Fri 18 Jun 2021 16:30
  • Sun 26 Feb 2023 17:00
  • Fri 3 Mar 2023 16:30

Why do we call it 'classical' music?

Tom Service poses a very simple question (with a not-so-simple answer).

Six of the world's most extreme voices

From babies to Mongolian throat singers: whose voice is the most extreme of all?

How did the number 12 revolutionise music?

How did the number 12 revolutionise music?

How Schoenberg opened a new cosmos for composers and listeners to explore.

Why are we all addicted to bass?

Why are we all addicted to bass?

Bass is everywhere, but why do we enjoy it? Join Tom Service on a journey of discovery.

Watch the animations

Join Tom Service on a musical journey through beginnings, repetition and bass lines.

When does noise become music?

We like to think we can separate β€œnoise” from β€œmusic”, but is it that simple?

Podcast