This disc, part of Andrew Penny's traversal of Sullivan's non-operatic works, presents the complete ballet L'Ile Enchantée and the ballet from Thespis. The former, Sullivan's first stage work, had its first performance in 1864. Though it did not enjoy any great success, Sullivan re-used large parts of it in various other works, including Thespis. (For the story of how the Thespis ballet was discovered, refer to that opera's web page.)

Penny leads strong readings of both scores, making this disc indispensable to anyone looking to explore the full range of Sullivan's output.

As ever, Andrew Penny gives us plenty of Sullivan for our money. This disc comprises the complete scores of two major sets of Shakespearean incidental music: The Merchant of Venice and Henry VIII. It also includes two overtures from early in the composer's career: The Sapphire Necklace (part of an opera he never completed) and In Memoriam, the composer's tribute to his deceased father. Like all the Penny recordings, I consider this a must-have.

This CD presents substantial excerpts from three of Sullivan's sets of incidental music to plays. Such music would often include long set pieces, as well as little snippets just a few bars long, to give an actor time to exit, or to add to the drama. It is, therefore, not practical to record the scores in their entirety, but the recordings here include enough to give an excellent idea of what these compositions were like. Sullivan's best music was written for the theater, and even without a Gilbert libretto, one sees the composer's mastery at setting a scene. This is a CD all Sullivan lovers will enjoy.

This disc presents just one work: Sullivan's full-length ballet, Victoria and Merrie England, which the composer wrote in 1898 as part of a celebration of Queen Victoria's sixtieth anniversary on the throne. (See the V&ME web page for more discussion of the work itself.)

Penny's reading of the score is a tour de force, making this perhaps the most indispensable of his four discs of Sullivan's ballet and incidental music.