The Prince Consort Contrabandista (1986)

Cast Sancho the Lion Simon Boothroyd Jose the Wolf Richard Bourjo Inez di Roxhas Norma Kinnear Rita Mary Timmons Vasquez Alan Borthwick Mr. Grigg David Craig Officer Ian Lawson Chorus of the Edinburgh Gilbert and Sullivan Society Alan Borthwick and David Lyle, directors The Prince Consort Orchestra David Lyle, conductor

Sounds on CD VGS 204

J. Donald Smith provided the following report:

It is amazing what a decent recording can do for a poor work. This tape, made privately for memebers of the Sir Arthur Sullivan Society, shows that there was a freshness in Sullivan's early work which was generally lost when The Contrabandista was resurrected as The Chieftain. Even Burnand's generally turgid lyrics come to life here; mercifully, the recording omits the dialogue (which nothing could help.) The performers are generally decent and comprehensible, but the contralto (Inez) lacks the power to convey the depth of the character. A very pleasant 1-hour listen.

In 1999, Chris Webster's Sounds on CD re-issued this recording on CD, coupled with a Prince Consort recording of The Chieftain. Most of the reviews that I have received of the CD make reference to both operas, so I have put these on a separate page.