York Opera returns to York Theatre Royal with Gilbert & Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore or The Lass That Loved a Sailor from 16-19 November.
HMS Pinafore was the first really great success for Gilbert and Sullivan, both in this country and the United States and it established their (still undiminished) position at the pinnacle of Light Opera in this country. Although they had had significant success with Trial by Jury and The Sorcerer the world of light opera in the 1850s and 1860s was dominated by the works of Jacques Offenbach – full of catchy tunes, brilliantly orchestrated.
The fact that Gilbert and Sullivan were able to break into and to dominate this area of theatre across the English speaking world must be greatly due to the witty and topical libretti by W.S. Gilbert. In conjunction with Sullivan’s sparkling and tuneful musical settings HMS Pinafore established the rock on which all the subsequent G&S repertoire would be built.
The story follows Ralph, a lovesick sailor, and Josephine, the Captain’s daughter, who are madly in love but kept apart by social hierarchy. The iconic musical numbers, loved by young and old alike, include We Sail the Ocean Blue, Never Mind the Why and Wherefore and When I Was a Lad.
As usual with York Opera’s Gilbert & Sullivan productions there is a healthy mix of youth and experience in the cast. New to the company are Jack Storey-Hunter in the leading tenor role of Ralph Rackstraw and Polina Bielova as Cousin Hebe.
Well-known cast members in the line-up include John Soper as Sir Joseph Porter,Ian Thomson-Smith as Captain Corcoran, Rebecca Smith as Little Buttercup, Anthony Gardner as Dick Deadeye and Alexandra Mather in the leading soprano role of Josephine.
Not only are there new principals in the cast, but the production team of Annabel van Griethuysen as Stage Director and Tim Selman as Conductor/Musical Director are also making their Theatre Royal debuts with HMS Pinafore.
Book your tickets now at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk
