The Mountebanks

INTRODUCTION

The Mountebanks Web Opera has been under construction for some time, but should be finished shortly.

The Mountebanks was W.S. Gilbert's first libretto after the infamous "Carpet Quarrel" of 1890 which broke up (temporarily) his partnership with Arthur Sullivan. The story, that of people drinking a potion to make them actually become the characters they are pretending to be, was apparently very important to Gilbert, who tried several times to get Sullivan to set it. Alfred Cellier agreed to compose Gilbert's libretto, but he became very ill during its composition. He died of tuberculosis on December 28, 1891, a few days before The Mountebanks premiered on January 4, 1892.

These MIDI files through number 18 files were sequenced by Ronald Orenstein. Songs 19 through 26 were sequenced by Clifton Coles. The Act II Finale MIDI file, and all of the MIDI Karaoke files, were sequenced by Colin Johnson.


THE WEB OPERA

MIDI Karaoke Version
The special MIDI Karaoke version of this opera highlights the lyrics on the screen while you are listening to the music. In order to play the Karaoke music files you must have a MIDI Karaoke player on your PC — see our MIDI Karaoke Help Page for information on downloading a free player. To follow the Karaoke version, start with the links immediately below, and then continue with the Karaoke version links at the bottom of each dialogue page.

Act I

No. 1. "Chaunt of the Monks"
[4 min. 28 seconds].

»Dialogue

No. 2. "Come, all the Maidens"
[1 min. 55 seconds] Chorus of Girls

No. 3. "If you please"
[3 min. 16 seconds] Sung by Riosotto and Minestra.

»Dialogue

No. 4. "Only think, a Duke and Duchess!"
[3 min. 11 seconds] Chorus of Girls

»Dialogue

No. 5. "High Jerry Ho!"
[2 min. 42 seconds] Sung by Arrostino and Chorus.

No. 6. "Teresa, Little Word" and "Bedecked in Fashion Trim"
[3 min. 40 seconds] Sung by Alfredo.

»Dialogue

No. 7. "It's my Opinion"
[4 min. 50 seconds] Sung by Teresa.

»Dialogue

No. 8. "Upon my word, Miss"
[4 min. 57 seconds] Sung by Ultrice, Teresa, Alfredo, and Elvino.

»Dialogue

No. 9. "Fair maid, take pity"
[5 min. 11 seconds] Sung by Alredo, Ultrice, Teresa, and Elvino.

No. 10. "Tabor and Drum"
[26K, 4 min. 39 seconds] Soli and Chorus of Girls

»Dialogue

No. 11. "Those days of old"
[4 min. 24 seconds] Sung by Nita, and by Nita, Bartolo, and Pietro.

No. 12. "Oh luck unequalled" and "I'm only joking"
[7 min. 40 seconds] Sung by Teresa, Alfredo, and Ultrice.

No. 13. "Finale Act I"
[10 min. 49 seconds]

No. 14. "Entr'acte"
[2 min. 53 seconds]

Act II

»Dialogue

No. 15, "I'd be a young girl if I could"
[1 min.31 seconds] Sung by Risotto and Minestra.

»Dialogue

No. 16. "All alone to my eerie"
[3 min. 8 seconds] Sung by Teresa.

»Dialogue

No. 17. "If I can catch this jolly Jack-Patch"
[1 minute] Sung by Minestra and Teresa.

No. 18. "If our action's stiff and crude"
[2 min. 54 seconds] Sung by Bartolo and Nita.

»Dialogue

No. 19. "Where gentlemen are eaten up with jealousy"
[2 min. 12 seconds] Sung by Bartolo, Nita, and Pietro.

No. 20. "Time there was when earthly joy"
[10 min. 30 seconds] Sung by Arrostino, Pietro, and Chorus, with Soprano and Contralto Solos

»Dialogue

No. 21. "The Duke and Duchess hither wend their way"
[2 min. 10 seconds] Sung by Luigi, Arrostino, Alfredo, and Men's Chorus

»Dialogue

No. 22. "Where's my Duck-a-deary?"
[2 min. 5 seconds] Sung by Teresa.

»Dialogue

No. 23. "In days gone by"
[56 seconds] Sung by Alfredo and Teresa.

No. 24. "An hour? Nay, nay."
[3 min. 57 seconds] Sung by Ultrice

No. 25. "Oh, please you not to go away"
[2 min. 16 seconds] Soli and Chorus

»Dialogue

No. 26. "Ophelia was a dainty little maid"
[5 min. 29 seconds] Sung by Pietro, Nita, and Bartolo.

No. 27. "Finale"
[6 min. 30 seconds]



Page updated 14 July 2004