Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus

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£2.25 – £12.74

2 disc set
Single Track Download

A joyful and infectious pastiche that marries some of Offenbach’s best music with Don White’s witty and irreverent English version of the discovery of America.

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  1. Christopher Columbus: Act I: Overture Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  2. Christopher Columbus: Act I: It's holiday time once again Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  3. Christopher Columbus: Act I: La, la, la. La, la, la, la. Ah! Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  4. Christopher Columbus: Act I: Don't forget Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  5. Christopher Columbus: Act I: I'm looking for a man Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  6. Christopher Columbus: Act I: Ah, how was I to know that I'd regret Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  7. Christopher Columbus: Act I: Daddy has a palace down in Old Siena Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  8. Christopher Columbus: Act I: Ich liebe meine mann Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  9. Christopher Columbus: Act I: A hundred years ago Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  10. Christopher Columbus: Act I: Now I know what it's like Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  11. Christopher Columbus: Act I: All you women, hang on a minute Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  12. Christopher Columbus: Act I: What have I done? Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  13. Christopher Columbus: Act II: It's such a bore to be in waiting Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  14. Christopher Columbus: Act II: Last night was one of those nights you remember Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  15. Christopher Columbus: Act II: If the've nothing to say Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  16. Christopher Columbus: Act II: I had prepared a flowery speech Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  17. Christopher Columbus: Act II: The search for love never ends Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  18. Christopher Columbus: Act II: At forty-two I was engaged Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  19. Christopher Columbus: Act II: A royal cousin kept sending roses by the dozen Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  20. Christopher Columbus: Act II: We wonder what's been going on Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  21. Christopher Columbus: Act III: Gentle breezes, billowing sails Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  22. Christopher Columbus: Act III: Has anyone seen Columbus? Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  23. Christopher Columbus: Act III: Lovely night, such a lovely night Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  24. Christopher Columbus: Act III: The Storm Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  25. Christopher Columbus: Act III: Goodness me, what a night Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  26. Christopher Columbus: Act III: Ah, forever at sea Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  27. Christopher Columbus: Act III: Revenge is sweet, but incomplete Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  28. Christopher Columbus: Act III: Nevermore will we roam, we're heading for home! Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  29. Christopher Columbus: Act IV: Entr'acte Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  30. Christopher Columbus: Act IV: If this is the Indies what I want to know Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  31. Christopher Columbus: Act IV: I don't want to go back Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  32. Christopher Columbus: Act IV: This morning I went for a stroll into the woodland Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  33. Christopher Columbus: Act IV: Do you mean what you say Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34
  34. Christopher Columbus: Act IV: Finale: Land fair and free Offenbach, J. Buy Track 0:34

Description

A joyful and infectious pastiche that marries some of Offenbach’s best music with Don White’s witty and irreverent English version of the discovery of America. Weaving together music from lesser-known Offenbach operettas, this opera tells the story of Columbus asking Queen Isabella of Spain for funding for his journey to America. An alcoholic nymphomaniac, Isabella donates her jewellery in a kind of strip show. Three ex-wives follow Columbus onto his ship and he is seasick for the whole journey. On arrival in the New World he discovers the cola nut.

Click here to visit the Official Opera Rara YouTube page and hear a track from this recording

‘A complete delight’ – Peter Davis, New York Times

Cast

Maurice Arthur (Christopher Columbus), Joy Roberts (Beatriz), Johanna Peters (Rosa Columbus), Lissa Gray (Fleurette Columbus), Marilyn Hill Smith (Gretel Columbus), Christian du Plessis (Luis de Torres), Alan Opie (Chief of Police), Anna Dawson (Queen Isabella), Alec Bregonzi (King Ferdinand), Clive Harré (tourist), John Duxbury (waiter), Rosemary Ashe (Princess Minnehaha Columbus), Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, London Mozart Players, Alun Frances – conductor.

Tracklist

01 Christopher Columbus: Act I: Overture
02 Christopher Columbus: Act I: It’s holiday time once again
03 Christopher Columbus: Act I: La, la, la. La, la, la, la. Ah!
04 Christopher Columbus: Act I: Don’t forget
05 Christopher Columbus: Act I: I’m looking for a man
06 Christopher Columbus: Act I: Ah, how was I to know that I’d regret
07 Christopher Columbus: Act I: Daddy has a palace down in Old Siena
08 Christopher Columbus: Act I: Ich liebe meine mann
09 Christopher Columbus: Act I: A hundred years ago
10 Christopher Columbus: Act I: Now I know what it’s like
11 Christopher Columbus: Act I: All you women, hang on a minute
12 Christopher Columbus: Act I: What have I done?
13 Christopher Columbus: Act II: It’s such a bore to be in waiting
14 Christopher Columbus: Act II: Last night was one of those nights you remember
15 Christopher Columbus: Act II: If the’ve nothing to say
16 Christopher Columbus: Act II: I had prepared a flowery speech
17 Christopher Columbus: Act II: The search for love never ends
18 Christopher Columbus: Act II: At forty-two I was engaged
19 Christopher Columbus: Act II: A royal cousin kept sending roses by the dozen
20 Christopher Columbus: Act II: We wonder what’s been going on
21 Christopher Columbus: Act III: Gentle breezes, billowing sails
22 Christopher Columbus: Act III: Has anyone seen Columbus?
23 Christopher Columbus: Act III: Lovely night, such a lovely night
24 Christopher Columbus: Act III: The Storm
25 Christopher Columbus: Act III: Goodness me, what a night
26 Christopher Columbus: Act III: Ah, forever at sea
27 Christopher Columbus: Act III: Revenge is sweet, but incomplete
28 Christopher Columbus: Act III: Nevermore will we roam, we’re heading for home!
29 Christopher Columbus: Act IV: Entr’acte
30 Christopher Columbus: Act IV: If this is the Indies what I want to know
31 Christopher Columbus: Act IV: I don’t want to go back
32 Christopher Columbus: Act IV: This morning I went for a stroll into the woodland
33 Christopher Columbus: Act IV: Do you mean what you say
34 Christopher Columbus: Act IV: Finale: Land fair and free

Press Reviews

You will look in vain for Christopher Columbus in lists of Offenbach’s works. It was put together by Opera Rara for the 1976 American bicentenary celebrations, using a totally new book allied to music from a variety of Offenbach works. But not without reason did the Daily Mail call it “the best Offenbach opera Offenbach never wrote”. It is an absolutely hilarious piece, right from the opening chorus in which the young ladies of Cordoba express their boredom at having nothing to do but snap their castanets and shout “016!”. The lyrics are quite brilliant and, if the whole doesn’t sound quite like an authentic Offenbach piece, it is only for the very good reason that it largely foreswears dialogue and the lead-ins to numbers in favour of the juicy central bits. With singers and singing actors of the quality of Marilyn Hill Smith, Johanna Peters, Anna Dawson and Alec Bregonzi supporting Maurice Arthur, it would be difficult to imagine the piece performed with greater skill or relish. If you want a CD set for sheer uninhibited enjoyment, this should be it.

Gramophone, April 1993