Johnson County Community College
Press Release
College Information and Publications
913-469-8500
Julie Haas, Director, ext. 3120
Peggy Graham, Writer, ext. 3425
Tyler Cundith, Sports Information Director, ext. 3122
1/02/08
Story by Peggy Graham
Opera a la Carte Serves Up G&S
Opera a la Carte, the foremost Gilbert and Sullivan repertory in the country, returns to the Carlsen Center for the third time, serving up two classic operettas – The Mikado at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, and The Gondoliers at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, in Yardley Hall of the Carlsen Center, Johnson County Community College. Artist Insights by Paul Laird, musicologist, University of Kansas, begin one hour before performance both nights.
Founded in 1970 by noted Gilbert-and-Sullivan expert Richard Sheldon, Opera a la Carte is known for its authentic style of productions and outstanding caliber of artists. Productions are fully costumed and staged with a full orchestra and sets. The company's work is a true adherence to Gilbert and Sullivan's own parody and stylized mannerisms and their demand for flawless diction.
Gilbert’s rhymes and clever turn-of- phrase add color to topsy-turvy plots. Sullivan’s scores are filled with lighthearted tunes that have been played ever since their Victorian England composition.
The story of The Mikado, also known as The Town of Titipu, begins as the Mikado declares flirting a capital offense punishable by beheading. Betrothed couples are mismatched, and true lovers are in danger as they Behold The Lord High Executioner. But love conquers all. The Mikado comes to understand the heartlessness of his edict, when he thinks his son is the victim of its enforcement, and he becomes A More Humane Mikado. An Oriental mood is captured in marvelous wigs and kimonos and classic songs, Flowers that Bloom in the Spring and Tit Willow. In 1885, Gilbert could caricature Queen Victoria and her government under a Japanese guise.
The Gondoliers, aka The King of Barataria, tells the tale two brothers who are Venetian gondoliers. They are informed by the Grand Inquisitor that one of them is a foster child and has just become the King of "Barataria," but only their nursemaid, presently at large, knows which one. As Barataria needs a king to put down unrest in the country, they travel there to reign jointly, leaving their new wives (When a Merry Maiden Marries) behind in Venice. It turns out that the real king was wed in infancy to the beautiful daughter of the Spanish Duke of Plaza Toro. When the young Spaniard and the two Venetian wives all show up wanting to know which of them is queen, complications arise. No problem: the true identity of the king is revealed, and all is resolved in Here Is a Case Unprecedented. Written in 1889, The Gondoliers was Gilbert and Sullivan’s last big success. They had co-written 14 operettas and ended their partnership after quarreling over who should pay for carpeting in their Savoy theater.
Carlsen Center audiences welcome the return of Opera a la Carte after company performances of H.M.S. Pinafore and The Mikado in January 2002 and The Pirates of Penzance in February 2004.
Born and raised in England, Sheldon, Opera a la Carte founder, has enjoyed a lifelong interest in the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. Early in his career, Sheldon was the principal comedian in “Gilbert and Sullivan for All,” a company which traveled the British Empire taking gems of English theatrical heritage to the provinces.
Sheldon became known for his knack with the “Savoy Operas.” He came to America to ensure the legacy of high-quality authentic Gilbert and Sullivan operettas on American stages. From its humble beginnings in California as a concert ensemble, the company has built a repertoire of full-scale Gilbert and Sullivan productions.
Tickets for each performance are $25 and $35, available by calling the Carlsen Center box office, 913-469-4445.
