Gilbert and Sullivan's the Pirates of Penzance

Stories Told Through Singing THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Gilbert & Sullivan OPERA: Stories Told Through Singing At Palm Beach Opera, we believe that opera tells stories to which we can all relate, and that is why the operatic art form has thrived for centuries. The education programs at Palm Beach Opera plug the community directly into those stories, revealing timeless tales of love, passion, and joy. We challenge each person to find their own connection to opera’s stories, inspiring learners of all ages to explore the world of opera. At Palm Beach Opera there is something for everyone! #PBOperaForAll 1 PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Gilbert & Sullivan The Masterminds pg 3 Who's Who pg 7 Understanding the Action pg 9 Looking Beyond the Surface pg 12 Engage Your Mind pg 13 PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 2 The Masterminds William Schwenck Gilbert William Schwenck Gilbert was born in London on November 18th, 1836. He traveled throughout Europe with his parents at a very young age and, according to Gilbert himself, was kidnapped at the age of two until a ransom was paid. (There is no factual evidence that the kidnapping ever took place and one might be inclined to attribute this exciting tale to Gilbert’s flare for the dramatic arts.) Gilbert studied at the Great Ealing School in the 1850s which was considered the most excellent private education to be had in London during it's time. He continued studies at King's College with the intent to fashion a career in government. In the early 1860s, Gilbert contributed verse, prose, and comedic drawings to the journal titled Fun. He gained significant fame for his satirical Bab Ballads, a series of verse accompanied by drawings that often found their way into Gilbert's future operettas with Sullivan. Also in the early 1860s, Gilbert began writing stage works. After enjoying much success, Gilbert also served as a director for his stage works, spending a great deal of effort on the stage design and direction of the actors. Gilbert was known for demanding authentic portrayals from his actors accompanied by their strict adherence to the text and music. Gilbert began his extensive collaborative work with Arthur Sullivan in 1875 with Trial by Jury. The opera was followed by The Sorcerer (1877), H.M.S. Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), and several others including The Mikado. Gilbert and PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 4 Sullivan had a falling out after more than a decade of work. While they did make amends, their last work, The Grand Duke (1896), was unsuccessful. Gilbert penned nearly 80 dramatic works in his career and was known very well for his "topsy-turvy" formula - creating ridiculous situations that were humorously solved through logic. He was knighted in July of 1907 for his contributions to the dramatic arts. While attempting to rescue a drowning woman, Gilbert died of a heart attack on May 29, 1911. Arthur Seymour Sullivan Arthur Seymour Sullivan was born in London on May 13th, 1842, the son of a theater musician and army bandmaster. By the age of eight, it is reported that Sullivan could play every instrument in the military band. 1 At the age of 12, Sullivan became a child chorister at the Chapel Royal in London where he performed many solos and tried his hand at composing. In 1856, Sullivan won the inaugural Mendelssohn Scholarship competition for composition and subsequently earned spot at the Royal Academy of Music. He followed his stint at the Royal Academy with studies at the Leipzig Conservatory (founded by Mendelssohn), the finest music school at the time. Sullivan was launched into stardom immediately following the premiere of his incidental music to Shakespeare’s The Tempest which was debuted 1 Sullivan Biography. (2016). In Gilbert and Sullivan archive. Retrieved from https://www.gilbertandsullivan archive. org. 5 PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 at London’s famous Crystal Palace in 1861. He continued composing works including hymns, ballads, and orchestral music while working as an organist. He wrote his first comic opera in1870 (Cox and Box), followed by an operetta (Contrabandista), and then Thespis (1871), his first Gilbert collaboration. Their first collaboration garnered little praise and the duo did not work together again until 1875 when Richard D’Oyly Carte prompted their continued work. They created Trial by Jury which was met with much praise. 2 Although Sullivan is now most known as one half of operetta’s most famous duo, he contributed many works to the repertory that earned significant acclaim in his day. According to the Sullivan Society, “Sullivan cemented his position as the country’s premier musician with the conductorship of the Leeds Musical Festival for whom he also wrote two major choral works, The Martyr of Antioch (1880) and The Golden Legend (1886).” 3 His three- act opera Ivanhoe achieved great success with a run of 155 consecutive performance. All in all, Sullivan composed nearly 300 musical works. Sullivan was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1883. He died on November 22, 1900 of heart failure. A monument to Arthur Sullivan. A monument to Sullivan was built in the Victoria Embankment Gardens and he was buried in St. Paul’s Cathedral by order of the Queen. 2 Sir Arthur Sullivan. (2016). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/biography/ Arthur-Sullivan 3 Biography. (2016). In Sir Arthur Sullivan Society. Retrieved from https://www.sullivansociety.org.uk/biography. PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 6 Who's Who 7 PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE The Characters Major-General Stanley, father of baritone fourteen young maidens fair The Pirate King, leader of the pirates bass baritone Frederic, apprentice to the pirates tenor Mabel, one of Stanley's daughters soprano Ruth, a Pirate Maid of all work contralto Sergeant of Police bass Samuel, The Pirate King's Lieutenant baritone Edith, one of Stanley's daughters mezzo soprano Kate, one of Stanley's daughters mezzo soprano Isabel, one of Stanley's daughters soprano A band of pirates & policemen ensemble PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 8 Understanding the Action 9 PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Setting Cornwall, during the reign of Queen Victoria The Short of it A Pirate Apprentice falls for the General's daughter and hilarity ensues The Long of it ACT I During the time of Queen Victoria, on the rugged coast of Cornwall, Frederic celebrates his twenty-first birthday, marking the end of his apprenticeship to a band of pirates. Frederic explains to the pirates that he will be leaving them since he is now free from the obligations of his indentures. His nursemaid Ruth, who became a pirate in order to remain with him all these years, steps forward to reveal that he had only remained with them for so long out of a sense of duty, admitting that she misunderstood the instructions of Frederic’s father, and mistakenly apprenticed him to be a pirate instead of a pilot. Frederic also announces that, although it pains him, it will be his responsibility as an upstanding citizen to destroy pirates. In his last moments as a member of their band though, he feels obligated to point out that they are not successful pirates: since they consider themselves orphans, they allow any of their victims who claim to be orphans to go free. Frederic notes that this is widely known, and therefore captured ships’ entire companies routinely claim to be orphans to avoid death. He invites the pirates to give up their pirating ways and go with him so that he would no longer need to destroy them. The Pirate King responds to Fredric that, compared with respectability, piracy is relatively honest. The pirates depart, leaving Frederic and Ruth behind. During his time with the pirates, Frederic had never seen another woman, and the considerably older Ruth tries to capitalize on his ignorance by convincing him to marry her. He nearly agrees until a group of beautiful young girls approach on the beach. Realizing he has been deceived, he sends Ruth away PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 10 and then asks the girls if any of them would marry him out of pity. Mabel is glad to engage herself to such a handsome man, and agrees to help him reform his life. Meanwhile, the pirates have surrounded the group and leap out to seize the girls, claiming them as their brides. Mabel warns them that all the girls are wards of a Major-General, who soon arrives on the scene. Having heard of the famous Pirates of Penzance, he claims to be an orphan to elicit their sympathy. The soft- hearted pirates are moved to tears and release the girls, making the Major- General and his daughters’ honorary members of their band. ACT II Tortured by the lie he told the pirates, the Major-General is surrounded by his daughters who attempt to console him. Meanwhile, Frederic has mobilized the police and plans to lead them into battle against the pirates that very evening. The Pirate King and Ruth secretly arrive to have a word with Frederic. They explain to him that they now realize his apprenticeship contract was to indenture him until his twenty-first birthday. Because his birthday happens to be on the 29th of February, which only comes about every four years, he has technically only had five birthdays. A slave of duty, Frederic sadly agrees to rejoin the pirates, and then feels obliged to inform the Pirate King of the Major-General’s lie. Outraged, the Pirate King declares revenge.

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