the very model of ein deutscher Major General

Although Germany's most popular English opera, Gilbert und Sullivan's Die Piraten von Penzance is regularly performed up and down the land, as far as I know it's represented by merely one recording - of a 1968 television production.

The cast - all professional opera singers rather than musical theatre specialists - was luxuriously embellished with Arleen Augér (at the very start of her career) as Mabel, and even more surprisingly, the legendary Wagnerian soprano Martha Mödl as Ruth.

Some German versions follow the original very faithfully, but libretto and even some characters were liberally translated in this one, and so I am the very model of a modern Major General becomes Ich bin der britischen Krone Admiral und fixter Flottenchef. And here it is from Arwed Sandner (I love the very solemn God shave the Queen near the end):

Or copy the mp3 from here.

And here's Martha Mödl with another rather free translation - Mit Zwölfeinhalb Fing Frederic Schon Mit Whiskey Im Café - in Gilbert's original, When Fred'ric was a little lad (may take time to load):

 

 

Or copy the mp3 from here.

Comments

[KM]

I'm surprised you didn't mention that the plot was changed rather dramatically in this recording. The Pirates all end up as Bankers, and Mabel falls in love with the Pirate King!

[inter mezzo]

I did actually mention in passing the variation in libretto and characters, but you're right, the ending is the biggest change of all!