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31 of 34 found the following review helpful:
 Low Burlesque instead of KibukiFeb 26, 2001
On the whole, this was an exceptionally disapointing and in some respects offensive presentation. Not only were the vocalists weak (especially, unfortunately, William Conrad as the Mikado, who was uneven and even squeaky at times), but the scenery was garish and the costumes bordered on cheap. The choreography was also extremely spasmodic, and the work with the fans was flabby and erratic. An absolute low point was reached with Pish Tush, who not only wore the outfit of a Japanese ambassador from the mid 1930s, but also sported a set of genuine buck teeth. What was next on the list, one wonders, perhaps a set of "coke bottle" eyeglasses?To see a happier performance of this material, in a style that respects the perfectionist production qualities of W.S. Gilbert, I highly recommend the 1966 D'Oyly Carte production instead. The difference between that performance and this abomination is the difference between the stylized elegance of kibuki and the low burlesque of, um, someplace that does really low burlesque.
27 of 31 found the following review helpful:
 Brilliantly doneApr 30, 2000
By Yi-Peng
This MIKADO video is an excellent production on every level. William Conrad does an excellent job as the eponymous title-role, even going as far as speaking in a so-called Japanese-English accent. Clive Revill, after many many years of playing the role of Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner, gives a marvellous and believable portrayal of the role here. The lovers and Katisha are all top-knoth, with Nanki-Poo as sweet and romantic as Yum-Yum, and Katisha fierry and commanding. As for the chorus, they are all supportive, and Alexander Faris's spirited musical direction is a treat as always. As with most of the other Brent-Walker G&S videos, the sound quality seems a little bit poor, but every word is still as crisp and clear as possible. The sets and costumes are all lush and sumptuous. Overall, this is a more traditionsal film compared to the 1987 English National Opera production, that I don't recommend very highly, that can hold its own with the best G&S films in the Brent-Walker series.
12 of 12 found the following review helpful:
A superb performance except for Conrad.Aug 04, 1999
This is a wonderful performance of the Mikado--well choreographed and directed, very well acted and marvelously sung by a great cast--with the exception of Conrad who is merely passable. Even with his shortcomings, it is hard to imagine a better performance. Much preferable to the Eric Idle version.
9 of 9 found the following review helpful:
Glorious voices and good comedySep 20, 2004
By teklah
Refer to the reviews that actually review instead of talking about their feelings, and my opinions are similar. The Opera World version of The Mikado is one of the picks of that series and infinitely better than any other version I've seen - and that would be just about all of them. We have excellent casting in most of the named parts except for William Conrad, whose elfin take on the part is cute but who manages to only barely hold on to the notes. But every time I watch, I catch another little nuance in facial expressions (watch for Peep Bo's sly little looks). And, best of all, the glorious voices of Nanki-Poo (John Stewart) and Yum Yum (Kate Flowers)! If I could find any thing else with Mr. Stewart's voice I'd snap it up in a heartbeat!
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Good DVD - Even William ConradFeb 02, 2007
By William E. Hourigan
This is my third attempt to purchase a quality dvd of the mikado. The first attempt was from a stage performance which gave me decent voices and video quality, poor sets and what sounded like a chamber ensamble playing the music. With a score like that of the mikado, you need a great orchestra, which you get with this version. My second attempt was also from a stage version with a good orchestra, voices, sets and costumes. Unfortunately, video quality was terrible and you couldn't understand the words. This is good quality, good voices and sets, and a great orchestra.Wm. Conrad was good - remember - The Mikado has a small part.
If you are really demanding, this is probably not for you, but this is, in my estimation, enjoyable and the best I could find after purchasing what I could find.
P.S. both this and HMS Pinnafore are public television productions, have an interesting intro and intermission by Errol Flynn, and a full libreto.
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