Pirates of Penzance

Pirates of Penzance
 
Gilbert and Sullivan’s best loved operetta The Pirates of Penzance will play at the Manchester Opera House in June when the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company return to the stage after a 10 year absence with a historic collaboration with Scottish Opera.
 
The production – which will premiere in Glasgow next month before touring - combines Scottish Opera’s world class reputation for high quality, touring opera with D’Oyly Carte’s century-long association with Gilbert and Sullivan.
 
Featuring the Orchestra of Scottish Opera and a 39 strong cast and chorus, the show will be a vibrant, stylish and hilarious romp through one of the famous duo’s finest scores.
 
Having turned 21, Frederic should be contractually released from his apprenticeship to a band of pirates, but discovers his birthday is the 29th of February, a leap year. Taking his duty a little too literally, he decides it will be another 63 years before he’s really 21 and only Mabel’s promise to wait sustains him…
 
A cleverly observed satire of Victorian morals and the ruling classes, this production brings the humour bang up to date with Python-esque twinkle.
 
The Pirates of Penzance features some of Gilbert’s wittiest lyrics, not least the famous patter song ‘I am the very model of a Modern Major-General’ while Sullivan brilliantly mixes his signature catchy melodies with fine parodies of other opera composers, notably Verdi’s Il Trovotore in ‘Come, friends, who plough the sea’ and ‘You triumph now’.
 
Ian Martin, General Manager of D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working with Scottish Opera and very excited to be starting a new chapter in our lengthy history.”
 
Alex Reedijk, General Director of Scottish Opera said: “D’Oyly Carte is synonymous with Gilbert and Sullivan so when we decided to re-introduce G&S to our audiences it was both an obvious partnership and a timely opportunity to bring together our respective areas of expertise. This fun, family production is also a great way to see Scottish Opera’s highly successful 50th anniversary season out on a high.”
 
Martin Lloyd-Evans - a regular with Opera Holland Park and Classical Opera Company - directs while D’Oyly Carte Music Director and G&S aficionado John Owen Edwards and Scottish Opera Head of Music Derek Clark share conducting duties.
 
The ensemble cast includes G&S stalwarts Richard Suart – principal comic baritone with D’Oyly Carte since 1988 - as Major-General Stanley and Steven Page (Nick Shadow, The Rake’s Progress, 2012) as the Pirate King. 
 
Sharing the role of Frederic will be rising stars Samuel Furness and Nicholas Sharratt (Orpheus, Orpheus in the Underworld, 2011) while Rebecca Bottone, will play Mabel.
 
Rosie Aldridge (Opera Highlights, 2012) is Frederic’s nanny Ruth, with Scottish Opera favourite Graeme Broadbent as Sergeant of Police. Scottish Opera Emerging Artists Katie Grosset and Andrew McTaggart are Edith and Samuel.
 
Manchester Opera House, Quay Street, Manchester M3 3HP
Tuesday 11 to Saturday 15  June
Performance schedule: Tues – Sat 7.30pm. Weds, Thurs & Sat mats 2.30pm
Tickets: £15-£45
Box Office: 0844 871 3018
www.atgtickets.com/manchester

Published: 16-May-2013: (1914)