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Bettie's Books
A Stuga On the Cusp of the Orust Riviera, tucked away next to a hobbit hole in the woods.
The Mikado by W.S. Gilbert
bookshelves: under-500-ratings, published-1885, music, art-forms, winter-20142015, japan, film-only, teh-brillianz
Read from December 03 to 09, 2014
The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu
is a comic opera in two acts
Watch here: The Mikado 1992 Buxton SIX STARS for this version.Wiki description: Gentlemen of the Japanese town of Titipu are gathered ("If you want to know who we are"). A wandering musician, Nanki-Poo, enters and introduces himself ("A wand'ring minstrel I"). He inquires about his beloved, the maiden Yum-Yum, a ward of Ko-Ko (formerly a cheap tailor). One of the gentlemen, Pish-Tush, explains that when the Mikado decreed that flirting was a capital crime, the Titipu authorities frustrated the decree by appointing Ko-Ko, a prisoner condemned to death for flirting, to the post of Lord High Executioner ("Our great Mikado, virtuous man"). Ko-Ko was "next" to be decapitated, and the Titipu authorities reasoned that he could "not cut off another's head until he cut his own off", and since Ko-Ko was not likely to try to execute himself, no executions could take place. However, all officials but the haughty Pooh-Bah proved too proud to serve under an ex-tailor, and Pooh-Bah now holds all their posts—and collects all their salaries. Pooh-Bah informs Nanki-Poo that Yum-Yum is scheduled to marry Ko-Ko on that very day ("Young man, despair").
Nanki-poo as a wand'ring minstrel, from The Story of the Mikado. Art by Alice B. Woodward.
Ko-Ko reveals that when a man is beheaded, his wife is buried alive: from Gilbert's children's book The Story of the Mikado. Art by Alice B. Woodward.3* The Gondoliers
3* The Sorceror
4* Princess Ida
4* Iolanthe
5* HMS Pinafore
4* The Yeoman of the Guard
4* Patience
6* Mikado
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