One thing that it's very difficult to find on the Internet is a decent performance of "Mi-ya Sa-ma" from The Mikado. Modern companies always seem to get Katisha wrong. Perhaps out of some kind of half-assed feminism, they try to turn her into a cute jokester who undercuts the pompous Mikado. But if she's not scary, she's nothing. If she is, you can start to respect her.
The actress who plays the actress who plays her in Topsy-Turvy gets it exactly right. While only audio is available unless you have time to watch the whole movie, the way she wields her fan like a deadly weapon is something to behold.
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Mikado.
In a fatherly kind of way
I govern each tribe and sect,
All cheerfully own my sway —
Katisha.
Except his daughter-in-law elect!
As tough as a bone,
With a will of her own,
Is his daughter-in-law elect!
Mikado.
My nature is love and light —
My freedom from all defect —
Katisha.
Is insignificant quite,
Compared with his daughter-in-law elect!
Chorus: Bow Bow to his Daughter-in-law elect
With lyrics like the above it's hard for me to imagine how Katisha could ever be considered cute. That wasn't her role at all. One interesting item I did come across is that “Miya Sama, Miya Sama” in Act II of The Mikado is an adaptation for Western voices and instruments of an authentic imperial Japanese war song
It's good to know you enjoyed it so much. The production is one of the best we've ever seen - 3 hours passed like nothing.
"Is insignificant quite
Compared with his daughter-in-law elect!"
It's quite the bold statement, and it's delivered boldly, or at least it should be.
The trivia page from the Gilbert and Sullivan Society contains some great tidbits. I liked the bit about The Mikado being banned by Lord Chamberlain when Prince Fashimi visited Britain. The Japanese correspondent wrote, "I had a pleasant evening, and I consider that the English people, in withdrawing this play lest Japan should be offended, are crediting my country with needless readiness to take offence.” Exactly so.
The production understood the appeal of Gilbert and Sullivan, of what made them great.
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