Gilbert and Sullivan in record deal

4:10pm Monday 6th October 2008

A record label said that it has signed a deal for "the first major release of Gilbert and Sullivan in 25 years".

On November 24, SonyBMG release The Best Of Gilbert And Sullivan by theatrical quintet the Gala Ensemble, aiming to bring their music back to the masses.

The deal will see songs from comic operas such as Pirates Of Penzance, The Mikado and HMS Pinafore receive a "fresh and uplifting" new recording, the label said.

Those behind the deal said there has recently been a resurgence in interest in Gilbert and Sullivan, with the likes of Jo Brand, Alistair McGowan and Jonathan Ansell all taking on roles in Gilbert and Sullivan productions.

SonyBMG asked musical director Marcus Marriot to find and nurture a quintet dedicated to performing Gilbert and Sullivan classics for a major label release.

The result is the Gala Ensemble - Sally Johnson (soprano), Elinor Moran (soprano), Hannah Pedley (mezzo soprano), Jonathan Prentice (baritone) and Richard Sidaway (tenor).

Pedley, who studied singing at the Royal Northern College of Music said: "The music is definitely sung in a classical style but the characters are larger-than-life so you can play with the sound you make a bit more and suit it to the character you're portraying."

Richard Hinkley of SonyBMG said: "For music that's been loved and performed for over 100 years, there's something incredibly refreshing about Gilbert and Sullivan.

"It stands so distinctly apart from conventional classical music, opera and pop and I think that explains not just its enduring popularity, but its recent resurgence.

"We feel the time is now right to restore this music to its rightful place - thrilling large numbers of people."