The Brent Walker Gondoliers (1982)

Cast
Duke of Plaza-ToroEric Shilling
LuizChristopher Booth-Jones
Don AlhambraKeith Michell
MarcoFrancis Egerton
GiuseppeTom McDonnell
AntonioPeter Savidge
Francesco[not indicated]
Giorgio[not indicated]
Annibale[not indicated]
Duchess of Plaza-ToroAnne Collins
CasildaSandra Dugdale
GianettaNan Christie
TessaFiona Kimm
Fiametta[not indicated]
Vittoria[not indicated]
Giulia[not indicated]
Inez[not indicated]

Ambrosian Opera Chorus
London Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Alexander Faris
Camera Director: Dave Heather
Stage Director: Peter Wood

OperaWorld TBJ10V
OperaWorld TBJ10V
VHS Cover
VHS Issue on CBS/Fox

This video production was part of the Brent Walker series that was broadcast on PBS in the United States. I must confess that it has been many years since I saw it. My only recollection is that it was a "middle-of-the-road" performance that never quite took off, but which had none of the directorial mischief or casting disasters that marred several other entries in the series. If you're looking for a solid (if not spectacular) Gondoliers on video, you can't go too far wrong here.

The performance is complete, aside from slight dialogue cuts and the second verse of "For the merriest fellows are we."


Issue History
DateLabelFormatNumberComments
1982 Brent Walker Productions VHS PAL [unnumbered]  
1986 Woolworth VHS PAL S1005
1991 BraveWorld Video VHS PAL STV 2044
1994 Polygram Video VHS PAL 6325183
1996 Opera World VHS NTSC GON10V
1999 Roadshow (Aust./NZ) VHS PAL 102033
2002 Acorn Media DVD AMP-5408 Available only in a 10-disc boxed set (cat. AMP-5483) including the entire Brent Walker series, excepting Trial and Cox and Box.