The New D'Oyly Carte Yeomen (1993)

Cast Lt. Cholmondely Donald Maxwell Colonel Fairfax David Fieldsend Sergeant Meryll Terence Sharpe Leonard Meryll Julian Jenson Jack Point Fenton Gray Wilfred Shadbolt Gary Montaine First Yeoman David Cavendish Second Yeoman Robert Traynor Third Yeoman Howard Ludlow Fourth Yeoman Deryck Hamon Elsie Maynard Lesley Echo Ross Phoebe Meryll Janine Roebuck Dame Carruthers Jill Pert Kate Carol Lesley-Green Chorus and Orchestra of The D'Oyly Carte Opera Conductor: John Owen Edwards

TER CDTER2 1195

This Yeomen reproduces more of Sullivan's music than any recording of the opera to date. Not only are the third and fourth Yeomen's couplets in the Act I finale included, but there are three bonus tracks:

• "A laughing boy," the aria for Sergeant Meryll that was cut after the first night.

• "When jealous torments," the aria for Wilfred that was cut shortly before the first night.

• Sullivan's original setting of "Is life a boon?" in 6/8 time (which he altered to the definitive version in 2/4 time at Gilbert's behest).

Two minor quibbles: I would have preferred that the Meryll and Shadbolt arias be placed on the first CD in their proper position in the opera, rather than as bonus tracks on the second CD. Also, the singers playing the First through Fourth Yeomen deserve to be credited, but their names are not mentioned in the enclosed booklet. (Some time after I posted this page, D'Oyly Carte Musical Director John Owen Edwards e-mailed me their names.)

Although the opera has been better sung, this is nevertheless the most important Yeomen recording made to date, due to the wealth of extra material included. It has been issued on cassette and CD. (The bonus tracks may be excluded on the cassette version, as was done with some of the earlier New D'Oyly Carte releases.)