Offenbach: Christopher Columbus [Import]

Jacques Offenbach (Artist), Alun Francis (Artist), Maurice Arthur (Artist), Joy Roberts (Artist), London Mozart Players (Artist), Geoffrey Mitchell Choir (Artist), Johanna Peters (Artist), Lissa Gray (Artist), Marilyn Hill Smith (Artist), Alan Opie, Anna Dawson Christian du Plessis (Artist), Clive Harre, John Duxbury, Rosemary Ashe Alec Bregonzi (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 13, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Opera Rara UK
• ASIN: B000003LNK
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #141,277 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Forget History!, November 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Offenbach: Christopher Columbus (Audio CD)

For those of you who like Gilbert and Sullivan, you'll smile at this recording. I did scenes from this piece as a freshman in college, and many of the songs have stayed fresh in my mind even after all these years. Technically, though, Offenbach didn't write it: this is a pastiche of unknown or little-known Offenbach tunes put together in 1976 by a couple of British guys for the American Bicentennial. But even though it sounds like Gilbert and Sullivan, it's a whole lot racier! Columbus has three wives, and is about to wed wife number four, when all the women gang up on him and have him arrested. He is brought before Queen Isabella who, despite a raging hangover from the night before, takes a fancy to him and proceeds to chase him around the couch. Finally, the entire company is sentenced to sail around the world, but not before the licentious Queen finances the trip by giving Columbus her fabulous jewels, while performing a striptease. On the ship after a storm, Columbus gets seasick, everyone gets lost, they toss Columbus overboard, and everyone winds up...well, I won't give it away, but be assured that the results are hilarious. The complete dialogue is included in the recording, which is well-sung, with lively tempos. Even though some of the lyrics are somewhat forced, this is still a preposterously funny show.