Opera on the GO! THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Study Guide

Photography by Eric Woolsey TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction...... 3 Synopsis...... 4 Cast...... 5 Creative Team...... 6 About Gilbert & Sullivan William S. Gilbert...... 7 Arthur Sullivan...... 8 Richard D'Oyly Carte & the Savoyards...... 9 Abou t The Pirates of Penzance Glossary o f T h e P i r a t e s o f P e n z a n c e ...... 10 Satire & Parody...... 11 Opera at a Glance Glossary of Opera Terms...... 12 What is an Operetta?...... 13 Let's Put on a Show!...... 14 Additional Resources...... 15

2 Welcome!

Thank you for inviting Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ Opera on the GO! into your school! We are so pleased to share this abridged production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance, and to introduce your students to the world of opera. In addition to our performance, mini-workshops in Lighting, Making Music, Dance, and Patter Song will allow students to experience some of the many elements that contribute to a fully-produced opera!

Made possible in part by the redFred M M. Sa. Saigh igh Endowmen Endowment at Opera Theatre, and with generous support from BayerBayer Fundi Fund and the EngelhardtEngelhardt Family Family Foundation Foundation. .

Photos © Eric Woolsey 3 Synopsis

Frederic, a young man, has been accidentally apprenticed to a band of pirates. Although he has grown to love them dearly, on his 21st birthday, his apprenticeship is complete. Frederic’s “sense of duty” compels him to leave behind the life of a pirate and venture out into the world. He soon meets and falls in love with Mabel, the daughter of Major-General Stanley. When the pirates arrive, they capture Mabel and the Major-General begs for her release. Frederic learns that by being born on February 29, in a leap year, he has only had five true birthdays and must remain in his pirate apprenticeship for another 63 years. Once again bound by his “sense of duty,” Frederic leaves Mabel to rejoin the pirates. A battle ensues and the pirates appear victorious until they are told to yield “in Queen Victoria’s name.” Love of the Queen trumps pirate vengeance and all wrongs are soon made right.

SONGS TO LISTEN FOR: “When Frederic Was a Little Lad”-Ruth

“Oh, Better Far to Live and Die”-Pirate King

“Is There Not One Maiden Here?”-Frederic

“Poor Wandering One!”-Mabel

“I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General” -Major General

4 Cast

Mabel Ruth

Angel Riley Stephanie Sanchez Soprano Mezzo-Soprano

Frederic Pirate King Major General

Ryan Johnson Ben Taylor Alex Rosen Tenor Baritone Bass 5 Creative Team

Roberto Kalb Shawna Lucey Mauro Ronca Conductor Stage Director Repetiteur

Lighting Designer Hans Fredrickson

Props Master Meg Brinkley

Original Costume Designer James Schuette

Costume Coordinator Stacy Michele Harris

Greg Emetaz Wig Master Video Designer John Metzner 6 William S. Gilbert

William Schwenck Gilbert was born on November 18, 1836, in London, the son of a well-to-do retired naval surgeon. He hated his middle name, the surname of his godmother, and insisted on being known professionally as W.S. Gilbert.

At the age of 13, he was enrolled at the Great Ealing School, one of the leading private schools in England. Although Gilbert was a precocious student, he was also restless and lazy. He began to stage manage for school plays, to which he sometimes contributed satirical verses.

After Ealing, Gilbert studied law at the University of London. Upon completing his degree he took a civil service job as a clerk until he was called to the bar in 1864. However, his career as a lawyer was brief. He practiced for only four years, and by popular accounts had only 20 clients during that time.

Gilbert’s literary career began while he was still practicing law. For ten years, beginning in 1861, he was a regular contributor to many magazines including London Society, Tinsley’s Magazine, Temple Bar and Cornhill. By the time he was 24, he had already written 15 plays; the first, Dulcamara , or The Little Duck and the Great Quack was produced in 1866. Gilbert also wrote clever comic verses and sketches for the magazine Fun, which were later published in book form under the title The Bab Ballads (as a child, Gilbert had been nicknamed “Bab” by his mother). Many of the operas he wrote with Sullivan drew upon the plots of The Bab Ballads .

At the age of 31, Gilbert married 17-year-old Lucy Agnes Turner, the daughter of a British army officer. After a brief phase as a drama critic and magazine journalist, Gilbert devoted his energies primarily to the stage. A brilliant social satirist, he authored more than 70 plays, dramas as well as comedies, and was also a talented illustrator and cartoonist who designed the costumes for several of his productions.

When the Gilbert and Sullivan partnership was established, Gilbert proved himself fanatical about overseeing almost every aspect of their joint works in minute detail. He took complete control of the premiere production of each opera, planning out the sets and stage direction and running rehearsals with an almost tyrannical authority. Actors who did not follow his instructions often received fines.

As the Gilbert and Sullivan partnership matured, Gilbert became increasingly resentful that Sullivan was considered the more serious artist of the team. Having offended Queen Victoria with his caricatures and satires of government officials, he was not knighted until 1907 (by Edward VII), almost 20 years after Sullivan had received his honor.

Gilbert died on May 19, 1911 at the age of 74 when he suffered a heart attack upon entering the cold water of a pond at his home to save a young swimmer who was in trouble. He received a simple burial at the nearby churchyard in Stanmore, North London. 7 Arthur S. Sullivan

Arthur Seymour Sullivan was born on May 13, 1842 in South London. His father, Thomas Sullivan, was a clarinet player for the opera, and supplemented his income by teaching music students and copying music. Sullivan’s mother, Maria Clementina, was also very musical.

Sullivan’s musical gifts were apparent from an early age. By the time he was five, he knew how to play all the instruments in his father’s band. At eight, he composed his first ballad. In 1856, at the age of 14, he became the first winner of the Mendelssohn Scholarship, which enabled him to complete his musical education in Leipzig, Germany.

Sullivan aspired to be a serious musician, and came to be admired as one of the most important English composers of his day. During his lifetime, Sullivan composed more that 250 hymns, cantatas, oratorios, and instrumental works, as well as a symphony and a grand opera.

In 1861, Sullivan published his first important work, music to Shakespeare’s The Tempest . Ten years later, he was asked by London impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte to collaborate with writer W.S. Gilbert on a comic opera called Thespis . The same year, 1871, Sullivan published his most famous composition, the hymn "Onward Christian Soldiers." His song, "The Lost Chord," written in memory of his brother, became one of the most popular songs of the Victorian era. In 1877, Lewis Carroll approached the composer about writing a score for his “little book for children,” Alice in Wonderland . Sullivan, knowing nothing of the work that Carroll referred to, declined on the basis of being “overcommitted.”

Both Gilbert and Sullivan gradually became bothered by their dependence on the other. Increasingly frustrated by the restrictions of comic opera, Sullivan considered the works he composed with Gilbert to be merely a lucrative sideline, and his contemporaries saw them as likely to prove short-lived sensations.

In addition to composing the music for Gilbert’s texts, Sullivan supervised the musical direction of the premiere productions of their works. He was known as a dignified, soft-spoken man with a gentle, kindly nature. Once after an unsatisfactory rehearsal with a soloist in The Mikado , he diplomatically responded: “Wonderful tune, my boy! Now would you mind trying mine?”

Sullivan loved gambling and socializing at fashionable gatherings, and he was a favorite of the royal family. Never married, he maintained a long love affair with a beautiful American singer, Mrs. Ronalds, who was separated but never divorced from her husband. His health was fragile for most of his life. He died on November 22, 1900 (age 58) after developing bronchitis, and was buried with great ceremony at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. 8 Richard D’Oyly Carte and the Savoyards

Born in London on May 3, 1844, the man behind the successful collaboration of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan was Richard D'Oyly Carte. He was brought up in a cultured home. His father was a flutist and they all spoke French at home two days a week. D'Oyly started as a composer and had one operetta produced, but found his niche in theatre management. His first wife died at the time of The Mikado and, three years later he married his long time assistant, Helen Lenoir.

One snowy day he happened to run into Gilbert, already a successful dramatist, and asked him to help him with a new piece in collaboration with Sullivan. The result was Trial by Jury . This was so successful that he was able to realize his dream of founding an English comic opera company. He leased the Opera Comique theatre, formed a partnership with four others and planned to present the works of many composers. However, the works of Gilbert and Sullivan were so successful that their works were presented almost exclusively.

Carte, Gilbert and Sullivan created a new partnership, and formed The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Success followed success, but a new theatre was desperately needed, so a large unused open space was purchased, and the 1,292-seat Savoy Theatre, named after the royal palace which had once stood on the spot, was built. Some members of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company remained together for up to 20 years. The group became informally known as the Savoyards, after the famous theater.

INNOVATION AT THE SAVOY

· Incandescent lamps paved the way for electricity in theaters. About 1,200 lights were used—the first attempt to light any public building entirely by electricity

· On opening nights, Mrs. D’Oyly Carte served tea and cake to the crowd while they waited in line. Early birds got first choice of seats! · Audiences had not been asked to wait in line before, and critics said the public would never stand for it. However, everyone waiting patiently and soon every theater was using the process. 9 The Pirates of Penzance Glossary

Apprentice One who learns a trade or skill under the guidance of an expert

Indenture A written agreement to serve someone for a specific length of time

Nursery-maid A nanny to a young child Sanctimonious Making a show or big deal of following the rules of good behavior

Major-General A high-ranking officer of the British army

Impunity Safe from punishment despite having broken the rules

Felicity Happiness or joy

Gyrate Go round and round

Matrimonial Ambition The desire to be married to someone wealthy

Categorical A division within a system of classification

Quadratic, Binomial Mathematical terms theorem, Hypotenuse

Short conversations. Quips are usually funny or smart, quibbles are arguements about things Quip & quibble that don't matter

Paradox A statement that contradicts itself

Leap year One year out of every four in which February has an "extra day" added - February 29

Natal day Birthday

10 Satire & Parody in The Pirates of Penzance

Satire exaggerates ideas or people to point out how silly they are, or to provide social commentary. Often satire makes fun of large entities like government, religion, or social class and attempts to initiate change. In The Pirates of Penzance , Gilbert and Sullivan satirize Victorian society's obsession with duty, and love for the Queen. Even though there are elements of satire, Gilbert did not write them to be mean-spirited or to change society, but because they were meant to make audiences laugh.

Musical Parody is a composition that imitates another work humorously. Parodies make fun of other works by exaggerating the original until it seems ridiculous. Here’s an example of a parody that many kids know:

Original Parody Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday dear (name) You look like a monkey Happy Birthday to you And you smell like one too

Gilbert and Sullivan were famous for writing parodies of other famous opera composers like Verdi, Gounod, and Mozart. Today, people create parodies of Gilbert and Sullivan! People often parody “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General” from The Pirates of Penzance by creating new, humorous words for their own situations! 11 Glossary of Opera Terms

Aria A solo song in an opera or operetta

Bravo! A compliment shouted by the audience to the performers after a very good show

Coloratura Vocal writing that shows off a singer's agility through many fast and complicated passages Duet A piece performed by two musicians

Ensemble A piece performed by multiple musicians, also means the group performing the show together

Finale The final musical number in an opera, usually involving soloists and chorus

Libretto The script of an opera

Operetta Literally "little opera" in Italian. Usually a light comic opera with singing and speaking

The musical prelude at the beginning of the opera. Usually it introduces music to be heard Overture later in the performance

Patter Song A fast aria with many words, usually funny but difficult to sing

Quartet A piece performed by four musicians

Recitative A free-style declaration usually "sung-spoken" as an introduction to an aria or chorus

Soprano Highest of the four voice types. Soprano voices can be light (like Mabel), or can be dramatic. They usually play the heroine or love interest roles in opera.

They lower of the two female types. Mezzo-Sopranos are sometimes called Altos when they Mezzo-Soprano sing in an ensemble. Mezzos sometimes have to play young men in operas - this is called a "pants role."

Tenor Highest male voice type. Some tenors can sing in the same range as altos (or higher) and are called Countertenors. Tenors usually get to be the "leading man" or the hero in operas Bass The lowest of the four voice types. In operas, low basses are often the "bad guys" or comedic characters.

12 Let's Put on a Show!

It takes a lot of people to put on an opera, even if it’s a short one! Below are just some of the people the are involved in our production of T h e P i r a t e s o f P e n z a n c e and how they help get the show to you. If you’re interested in music or theater, maybe one of these jobs would be a good fit for you!

Stage Director Music Director Singers

Creates the vision for the Rehearses and conducts all the music Rehearses with the stage show Works with the orchestra and and music directors Plans and runs all the singers on how to interpret the Memorizes lines , songs, rehearsals music and stage movement Helps singers and actors find Works with singers and the best ways to act and Performs the show in front instrumentalists on technique, move on the stage of the audience! language, and other skills

Production Manager Administrators Designers

Hires singers, directors and Works with the director to understand Creates the sets and props designers plans for the way the show should look Creates the costumes, wigs, and Schedules rehearsals and Communicates between designers, stage makeup performances stage managers, and directors Works with Director and Makes sure everyone has what Makes sure all the sets, costumes, Production Manager to bring the they need to put on a great equipment are being taken care of on show to life time show!

Videographer Stage Manager

Works with the Director to Communicates between the understand the style of the show Director and the singers Creates videos and photography Makes sure everyone and Puts together multimedia everything is where it needs to presentation to enhance sets, be when it need to be there props, and costumes in creating Runs the show after the the atmosphere of the show Director leaves 13 What Is an Operetta?

Operetta was developed during the middle of the 19th century to satisfy a desire for short, upbeat works instead of long, serious operas. Until Operetta: noun operettas became popular, two kinds of opera existed: Tragic Opera and Comic Opera. However, comic opera wasn’t necessarily funny! Comic operas meant that it showed everyday life in a realistic way, but could still A short opera, usually have a tragic end.

on a light or Operettas were a huge success in England, due largely to the works of humorous theme and Gilbert and Sullivan. English operettas usually had a light-hearted plot with plenty of humor, shorter arias that were not so demanding on the typically having singers' voices, lots of word-play (which sparked the popularity of the spoken dialogue “patter song”), and divided responsibility of the storyline between singing and speaking which helped things to move along more quickly. Many Gilbert and Sullivan operettas are still performed today, and also helped inspire other kinds of compositions like musicals.

OPERA OPERETTA MUSICAL

Serious or comedic. Usually Typically serious or Light and amusing more believable or relatable Subject more complicated

Length Longer Shorter Long or short

Sung and spoken; less formal Musical Completely sung; uses a Sung and spoken; still uses structure; uses solos and more formal structure with arias, recitatives, plus patter Characteristics dialogue instead of arias or arias and recitatives songs and musical parody recitatives

Dramatic Plot can move more slowly Plot moves quickly; characters Can be serious or Characteristics and develop character are often silly or satirical; lots of humorous; plays with music emotions wit and humor and dancing despite being unrealistic

The difference between an opera and an operetta, or an operetta and a musical can be hard to define, and some composers might call their work one thing while everyone else calls it something different! 14 Additional Resources

This study guide was compiled to prepare your students for the best experience with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ Opera on the GO! production o f T h e P ir a t e s o f P e n z a n c e . For more information and more ideas on in- class activities please check out these additional resources!

OTSL Patter Song Lesson Plan

Additional Study Guides for The Pirates o f Penzance: Pacific Conservatory Theatre Palm Beach Opera The Atlanta Opera San Francisco Opera Guild Park Square Theatre

General Music Resources & Lesson Plans:

PBS Learning Media: Metropolitan Opera Royal Opera House Create & Sing Collection Kennedy Center Opera Collection LA Opera Connects Lesson Plans SD Opera: Music & Science Curriculum Opera Arrangements for Middle & High The Getty: Performing Arts in Art School Bands & Orchestras Curriculum

Dance & Movement Resources & Lesson Plans: Kennedy Center Dance Collection PBS Learning Media Dance Hub New Victory Theatre: Movement Royal Opera House Create & Dance

Lighting Design & Technical Theatre Resources & Lesson Plans:

Royal Opera House Theatrecraft New Victory Theatre: Set & Costume Design Technical Theatre Terms LA Opera Stage Lighting Lesson Plans Lighting Equipment PBS Learning Media Technical Theatre Hub LA Opera: Intro to Technical Theatre Lesson Plans 15