The 1975 Trial By Jury

Cast The Learned Judge John Reed The Plaintiff Julia Goss The Defendant Colin Wright Counsel Michael Rayner Usher Kenneth Sandford Foreman John Ayldon D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Royston Nash Recorded at Decca Studios, West Hampstead 4 & 6 June 1974

London OSA-1167

Sounds on CD VGS250

In 1975, to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of Trial By Jury, D'Oyly Carte scheduled a gala two-week season at the Savoy, during which the G&S operas were performed in the original sequence. The season included the Company's first revival of Utopia Limited and a concert performance of The Grand Duke. This recording was made shortly thereafter. As with the 1964 recording, this was an "all-star" cast, not the performers who usually played these roles. It is an acceptable recording, but no better than the 1964 account.

In its day this was an important recording, as it was issued with Sullivan's Macbeth overture and excerpts from his incidental music to Henry VIII, thus contributing to public knowledge of Sullivan's versatility as a composer. The Macbeth has been re-issued with the 1976 Utopia, the Henry VIII with the 1976 Grand Duke. Trial has been re-issued by Sounds on CD, coupled with the 1978 Cox and Box.