On first glance, the very idea of mentioning Broadway’s musical hit, Hamilton, and the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance, in the same sentence may seem ridiculous in the extreme. Of course, the whole of the American musical theatre owes its origins to the operetta form, a genre that had its roots in the mid- and late 19th Century opera comique. However, there seems to be a more revealing comparison. Hamilton composer and lyricist, Lin-Manuel Miranda, has confessed that he was cast as the Pirate King as a ninth grader in the Hunter College School NYC production of The Pirates of Penzance—beating out seniors for the role in which the audience applause was something of a significant career catalyst for him. In fact, Miranda gave the character of George Washington in Hamilton a line that describes himself as “the model of a modern major general,” a direct reference to the rapid-fire (and rap-like) patter song delivered by the character of Major-General Stanley in Pirates.
After a spectacularly entertaining season-opening “Opera’s Greatest Hits” concert last month at the Clayton Center for the Arts in Maryville, Knoxville Opera brings a production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance to the stage of the Tennessee Theatre this weekend for two performances on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon.
The Operetta
Pirates was the fifth of fourteen operetta collaborations between British composer Sir Arthur Sullivan and lyricist William S. Gilbert, and was, interestingly, the only operetta by the pair to premiere outside of London—in this case, at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on New Year’s Eve in 1879. After returning to London, the popular production ran for 363 performances. Of the fourteen operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan, The Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado, and H.M.S. Pinafore are the most often produced.
Synopsis
The plot of Pirates centers on young Frederic, having reached his 21st year, is released from his apprenticeship to a band of tender-hearted pirates. He meets Mabel, the daughter of Major-General Stanley, and the two young people fall instantly in love. Frederic finds out, however, that he was born on 29 February, and so, technically, he only has a birthday each leap year. His apprenticeship indentures state that he remains apprenticed to the pirates until his 21st birthday, and so he must serve for another 63 years. Bound by his own sense of duty, Frederic’s only solace is that Mabel agrees to wait for him faithfully.
The Cast
The Pirate King — Craig Irvin
Frederic — Derrek Stark
Mabel — Hanna Brammer
Samuel — Daniel Spiotta
Ruth — Joyce Campana
Edith — Ashley Victoria Jones
Kate — Meghana Krish
Isabel — Nicole Dayton
Major-General Stanley — Troy Cook
Sergeant of Police — Allen Michael Jones
The stage director is Dean Anthony; the conductor is Joseph Mechavich; the chorus master is Christy Lee.
Tickets and Information
Knoxville Opera’s The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan
• Friday, October 25, at 7:30 PM and Sunday, October 27, at 2:30 PM
• Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Downtown Knoxville
Tickets
