New. Gilbert & Sullivan: Utopia, Limited Or the Flowers of Progress
Neal Davies (King Paramount), Ellie Laugharne (Princess Zara), Yvonne Howard (Lady Sophy), William Morgan (Captain Fitzbattleaxe), Richard Suart (Scaphio), Arthur Bruce (Phantis)
The Orchestra of Scottish Opera & Chorus, Derek Clark
Awards:
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Presto Recording of the Week, 27th June 2025
If Gilbert wasn’t quite on top form, the score contains some of Sullivan’s best writing - done full justice here by Clark’s zippy, flexible direction and a uniformly strong cast of British singers...
New. Gilbert & Sullivan: Utopia, Limited Or the Flowers of Progress
Neal Davies (King Paramount), Ellie Laugharne (Princess Zara), Yvonne Howard (Lady Sophy), William Morgan (Captain Fitzbattleaxe), Richard Suart (Scaphio), Arthur Bruce (Phantis)
The Orchestra of Scottish Opera & Chorus, Derek Clark
Purchase product
Awards:
-
Presto Recording of the Week, 27th June 2025
If Gilbert wasn’t quite on top form, the score contains some of Sullivan’s best writing - done full justice here by Clark’s zippy, flexible direction and a uniformly strong cast of British singers...
About
Utopia, Limited, Gilbert & Sullivan's penultimate work, is a rarely performed gem that pokes fun at the workings of the British Empire, thoughtfully revived and now presented alongside Sullivan’s evocative incidental music for King Arthur. Expect dazzling patter, lush choruses, and moments of beauty performed by a stellar cast (many of whom performed in Scottish Opera's 2021 semi-staging) in this compelling pairing of satire and symphonic storytelling. Conducted by Derek Clark and featuring Neal Davies, Richard Suart, Ellie Laugharne, and Yvonne Howard.
Contents and tracklist
Spotlight on this release
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Gilbert & Sullivan's Utopia, Limited from Scottish Opera
The duo's penultimate collaboration - a satire on British imperialism and nineteenth-century corporate law - comes up as fresh as paint in a sparkling new recording conducted by Derek Clark, with a cast headed by Neal Davies as King Paramount and Ellie Laugharne as his Cambridge-educated daughter Zara.
Awards and reviews
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Presto Recording of the Week27th June 2025
27th June 2025
If Gilbert wasn’t quite on top form, the score contains some of Sullivan’s best writing - done full justice here by Clark’s zippy, flexible direction and a uniformly strong cast of British singers who often surpass their counterparts on Royston Nash’s 1975 Decca recording. Diction from all is crystal-clear but refreshingly unmannered, and everyone exudes a healthy respect for performance tradition without ever lapsing into fussiness or fustiness.
