Gilbert and Sullivan Society
(Exeter, UK)
COMPENDIUMS GILBERT AND SULLIVAN LIBRETTI
This list is by no means exhaustive and will be added to as time permits. Some of the books listed below have been out of print for many years but do still surface through the second-hand market, often appearing on the Abebooks site or through Amazon. Where any of these works is thought to be currently available from any such source a hyperlink will be provided to bookstores able to supply that title. Books currently in print will be marked 'C'.
Abbreviations:
AB
= Abebooks;
AM
= Amazon; B
= Browns Books;
OUP
= Oxford University Press;
P = Penguin Books;
Q
= Quartermelon
(N.B. The Quartermelon site can be somewhat un-user friendly but their
discounted prices may be found via Abebooks and Amazon)
Sir W. S. Gilbert
Macmillan & Co
This is probably the standard collected edition of the G & S libretti, having been constantly in print since 1926. THESPIS is not included, the remaining 13 operas are presented in what was the standard text of the day.
Introduced and edited by Ian Bradley
Oxford University Press
A tremendous achievement and the result of a considerable amount of research. THESPIS again is missing, but the remaining thirteen operas are presented with text on the right hand page and annotations on the left, covering deleted dialogue, lyrics, ad libs, performance tradition, obscure terms, etc.
Edited by Ed Gilnert with an introduction by Mike Leigh
Penguin Books
Another edition of the complete libretti, this time including THESPIS. In this case, many deleted lyrics and dialogue are included in the text, although reasons for the inclusion of some but not of others are not given. Annotations are given at the end of the book, which is not so helpful.
Illustrations by 'Bab'
(W S Gilbert)
(First Series)
(Second Series)
W. S. Gilbert
Chappell/Chatto & Windus
These two books were published towards the end of the 19th C. and are basically compilations of the Chappell libretti available at that time. All the operas except THESPIS are included, the last five (RUDDIGORE onwards) being in the second volume accompanied by MOUNTEBANKS (Gilbert & Cellier), HASTE TO THE WEDDING (Gilbert & Grossmith) and HIS EXCELLENCY (Gilbert & Carr)
Deems Taylor
New York - Random House
A very interesting volume this as it gives a very American view of the operas in Deems Taylor's extensive preface. THESPIS is included, the other 13 operas being presented in standard editions of the text, although RUDDIGORE is still presented in it's 1887 version despite having been drastically revised by D'Oyly Carte in 1919. The operas are joined by the playscript of Gilbert's Fairy Comedy, THE PALACE OF TRUTH, and by the libretti of MOUNTEBANKS (Gilbert & Cellier) and HIS EXCELLENCY (Gilbert & Carr). The book is rounded off with 86 of Gilbert's 'Bab' ballads. Later editions of the book removed the Ballads and the non-Sullivan works, but this is still worth seeking out.
Another edition of American origin, first published c1931 and still in print today, freely available in the UK from many booksellers. Contains all the operas including THESPIS and is illustrated with W S Gilberts line drawings. The texts are standard although again, that of RUDDIGORE reflects the standard text of 1887.
Reginald Allen
Heritage Press, New York (1958)/Chappell (1975)
This was probably the first serious attempt to present all 14 libretti in the form that they appeared on their respective 'first nights'. More recent research tells us that the libretti sold in the theatre on those occasions did not always reflect what was actually performed - "Youth is a boon avowed" (UTOPIA) for example was performed at the dress rehearsal witnessed by the press and was therefore reported upon, but the song never actually made it onto stage in front of the public. Various editions of this book are easy to find through the second-hand market. The Chappell edition of 1975 is fairly common and is a handsome volume. The first edition from Heritage is more difficult and can be very expensive, but does come in it's own, golden coloured, slip-case with a box containing colour facsimiles of the first night programmes.
Page last updated: 18 Aug 2007 16:23