The Pirates of Penzance

For anyone who was under the impression that there is only one opera house in Australia, this is a production from the Victoria State Opera, based in Melbourne. It is pleasantly entertaining but, I'm afraid, it does have a slightly provincial feel to it. Only Reg Livermore, as a kilted Major-General Stanley, stands out among the cast. Most singers would have trouble with the double-tempo encore of "I am the very model of a modern Major-General" but Livermore manages it while doing a sabre-dance. Elsewhere, Mabel's rendition of Sullivan's pastiche of Rossinian coloratura: "Poor wand'ring one" fails to hit the spot and the Pirates' rousing "With catlike tread" fails to rouse. Particularly disappointing is the chorus of policeman. I know the second act is supposed to take place at night in a ruined castle but it was so poorly lit that the comic business of "When the foeman bares his steel" was completely lost.

I watched a production of the Mikado recently and was struck by how the rhythm and inflection of Gilbert's brilliant lyrics made Sullivan's task comparatively simple. In the Pirates, the reverse seems to me to be the case. Gilbert's lyrics are so clunky and his plot so silly that it must have been an uphill struggle for Sullivan to produce one of his most melodic scores.

Looking at IMDb's database, I see that the director of this 1993 film, Peter Butler, filmed it again with a completely different cast in 1994, so maybe he was not entirely happy either.

The Pirates of Penzance was my first Gilbert and Sullivan operetta and still my favourite. Despite the silly story, the melodies are gorgeous and the lyrics witty. This production I did enjoy on the whole, it is not perfect and not as fun as the 1983 film or the 1994 production, but it is far better than the 1982 D'Oyly Carte performance(which was the second weakest of that series to me, only HMS Pinafore was weaker). There are problems I did have with this Pirates of Penzance, the picture quality could have been sharper, the policeman song When the Foeman Bares his Steel in Act 2 is poorly lit and not very funny sadly and while he sings with a lovely bass-baritone voice I found Jeffrey Black's performance of the Pirate King overdone, especially the clipped accent.

However, visually it is a traditional and very sumptuous looking production, Major General Stanley's daughters' dresses are especially gorgeous and true to period. The orchestral playing is suitably lively, and the conducting is efficient enough. The chorus are also fine, the pirates are a rousing lot and the policemen are not too under-pitch while the ladies are charming and well blended on the whole though rather nasal(I've never liked that sound in singing) in What Ought We to Do. Of the cast, the best was Reg Livermore as the Major General, a part he performs with terrific gusto. Not only does he sing the fiendishly difficult pattering in I'm A Making of a Modern Major General perfectly, but puts some inspired physical acting in it too.

Michael Terry's Frederic is dashing and beautifully sung, especially in Oh, Is There Not One Maiden Breast, and Sharon Prero's Mabel is equally charming, her Bel-Canto-like colouratura for Poor Wandering One has the agility it should. Elizabeth Campbell is a sympathetic Ruth, Bradley Daley seems to be enjoying himself as Samuel and Conan Coad is at least serviceable as the sergeant. Of the sisters, I was especially taken with Bette Opitz's Edith, her mezzo is really beautifully produced. Barbara Frater's Kate is also well sung if not as impressive, and she has an infectious personality in Climbing Over Rocky Mountains.

Overall, a well done Pirates of Penzance. 7/10 Bethany Cox