Final Curtain: The Last Gilbert And Sullivan Operas
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Edition: 1st ed.,
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Good , price clipped
Markings: No markings
A richly detailed work of music history and criticism, Final Curtain: The Last Gilbert and Sullivan Operas chronicles the twilight years of one of Victorian England's most celebrated creative partnerships, examining the final works that W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan produced together as their legendary collaboration began to fracture under the weight of personal and professional tensions. John Wolfson presents a meticulous account of the lesser-known late operas — including The Gondoliers, Utopia, Limited, and The Grand Duke — situating them within the broader cultural and theatrical landscape of the late nineteenth century. With scholarly authority and genuine affection for the subject, the narrative uncovers the artistic ambitions, commercial pressures, and interpersonal conflicts that shaped these final works, offering fresh perspective on pieces long overshadowed by the duo's earlier triumphs. Wolfson argues that these concluding operas deserve serious reappraisal, illustrating how they reflect both the enduring wit of the Savoy tradition and the inevitable strains of a partnership approaching its end. This is an essential read for devotees of Victorian theatre, opera history, and the enduring legacy of Gilbert and Sullivan.
Author: John Wolfson
Format: Hardback
Published: 1976, Chappell & Company in Association with André Deutsch
Genre: Music
Edition: 1st ed.,
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Good , price clipped
Markings: No markings
A richly detailed work of music history and criticism, Final Curtain: The Last Gilbert and Sullivan Operas chronicles the twilight years of one of Victorian England's most celebrated creative partnerships, examining the final works that W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan produced together as their legendary collaboration began to fracture under the weight of personal and professional tensions. John Wolfson presents a meticulous account of the lesser-known late operas — including The Gondoliers, Utopia, Limited, and The Grand Duke — situating them within the broader cultural and theatrical landscape of the late nineteenth century. With scholarly authority and genuine affection for the subject, the narrative uncovers the artistic ambitions, commercial pressures, and interpersonal conflicts that shaped these final works, offering fresh perspective on pieces long overshadowed by the duo's earlier triumphs. Wolfson argues that these concluding operas deserve serious reappraisal, illustrating how they reflect both the enduring wit of the Savoy tradition and the inevitable strains of a partnership approaching its end. This is an essential read for devotees of Victorian theatre, opera history, and the enduring legacy of Gilbert and Sullivan.