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WSU’s
opera presents ‘The Gondoliers’
"The
Gondoliers," or the King of Barataria, Gilbert and Sullivan’s
last collaboration, premiered in London’s Savoy Theatre Dec.
7 1889, where it ran for nearly two years.
Nearly
112 years later, the opera will be performed at WSU 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday,
Oct. 18-20, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21, in Miller Concert Hall.
"The
Gondoliers," an amusing satire, was a special favorite with
Queen Victoria, who ordered a command performance for the British
royal family. Her favorite number was "Then one of us will
be a Queen."
That
it was written was somewhat remarkable, for after years of collaboration,
the composer and librettist had become estranged, says Marie Allyn
King, who’s directing WSU’s production.
Arthur
Sullivan longed to compose serious operas, and had grown weary of
William Gilbert’s light-hearted plots. Gilbert was also smarting
from wounded pride when Sullivan was knighted six years before.
He did not receive his own knighthood until 1907.
Their
producer Richard D’Oyly Carte arranged for the reconciliation
by proposing a romantic plot with a Venetian setting.
Sullivan,
who had just returned from a vacation in Venice, accepted the idea.
Evidently his holiday was inspiring, for the score sparkles with
charming Italianate melodies including one number sung
entirely
in Italian.
For
his part, Gilbert provided Sullivan with more opportunities for
music than in any of their previous collaborations.
The
plot is that one of two just-married gondoliers is the King of Barataria,
but no one knows which one. As Barataria needs a king to put down
unrest in the country, both gondoliers travel there to reign jointly,
leaving their wives behind.
The
WSU production is choreographed by Denise Celestin. Robert Glasmann
conducts the WSU orchestra. WSU graduate and undergraduate students
play all roles.
Call
978-3233 to reserve tickets. Prices start at $12 with discounts
available.
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