GILBERT AND SULLIVAN OPERAS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 110, 3 February 1941, Page 9

GILBERT AND SULLIVAN OPERAS

Wellington Season To Open Soon

“The Gondoliers,” in which J. C. Milliamson’s Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company will begin its season at the Opera House on Wednesday, February 12, is unquestionably one of the best, one of the most tuneful and most humorous of the works of the famous collaborators. Gilbert and Sullivan operas speak a language all can understand —highbrow or lowbrow, grown-up or child. It is not onlv British people who know their Gilbert and Sullivan. The United States, even before New Zealand heard the music of "The Pirates of Penzance,” had witnessed this opera six or seven times on Breadway, and in every , city or town ot tlie Union, from Rhode Island to Southern California. The Savoy operas are admittedly an institution. Their populatin' in English-speaking countries is greater at this moment than ever before. The word “Gilbertian” itself is as firmly fixed in the English language as "Pickwickian.” No writer, in fact, since Dickens, has given us. such a number ot commonly used quotations as Gilbert nas done. Of course it is essential that the Gilbert and Sullivan operas should be presented by first-class singers and comedians, and, realizing this, the J. C. n 11liamson management, it is said, spared neither money nor time in getting together for the present revivals a powerful organization, and evidently their efforts have been fruitful, and so successful were the operas in Auckland that the seasons there had to be considerably extended, and additional matinees had to be staged to relieve the pressure for seats at the evening performances. Only five nights can be devoted to “The Gondoliers,” and a matinee will be presented on Saturday, February 15. On Tuesday and "Wednesday, and "Wednesday afternoon, February 18 and 19, “The Pirates of Penzance,” preceded by “Trial By Jury,” will be produced, and it will be followed by “The Yeomen of the Guardy (three nights and matinee), “lolanthe” (three nights and matinee), "The Mikado” (four nights and matinee), and “H.M.S. Pinafore,” preceded by “Cox and Box” (two nights and matinee). Playgoers will be glad to welcome the reappearance of Ivan Menzies, Evelyn Gardiner, Gregory Stroud, Richard "Watson, Bernard Manning, Vineent McMurray, and interest will be keen to witness the new artists, who include John Fullard (tenor), Viola Wilson (soprano), Sara Gregory (soubrette). Peggy Shea (mezzo), Phyllis Curnow (soprano), and Maxwell Oldaker (tenor). The work of the full operatic chorus and orchestra is a feature of each of the operas. There has been a large number of appications for preferential booking, and there is likely to be a good demand for seats when the box plans are opened on Friday morning next at the D.I.C.