J. Donald Smith provided the following review:

It is amazing what a decent recording can do for a poor work. This tape, made privately for memebers of the Sir Arthur Sullivan Society, shows that there was a freshness in Sullivan's early work which was generally lost when The Contrabandista was resurrected as The Chieftain. Even Burnand's generally turgid lyrics come to life here; mercifully, the recording omits the dialogue (which nothing could help.) The performers are generally decent and comprehensible, but the contralto (Inez) lacks the power to convey the depth of the character. A very pleasant 1-hour listen.

In 1999, Chris Webster's Sounds on CD re-issued this recording on CD, coupled with a Prince Consort recording of The Chieftain. Most of the reviews that I have received of the CD make reference to both operas, so I have put these on a separate page.