sign in sign up
<<
Home , The Pirates of Penzance

Stories Told Through Singing

THE PIRATES OF 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, , 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 , a series of verse accompanied by drawings that often found their way into Gilbert's future 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 in 1875 with . The opera was followed by (1877), H.M.S. Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), and several others including . 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, (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 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 in1870 (), followed by an (Contrabandista), and then (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 achieved great success with a run of 155 consecutive performance. All in all, Sullivan composed nearly 300 musical works.

Sullivan was knighted by 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 fourteen young maidens fair King, leader of the pirates baritone Frederic, apprentice to the pirates Mabel, one of Stanley's daughters Ruth, a Pirate Maid of all work 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 , 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, 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. Before returning to the ship, Frederic breaks the unfortunate news to Mabel, who pleads with him to stay but ultimately supports his dutiful sacrifice. They swear to remain true to each other until his apprenticeship is finally finished, sixty-three years hence.

Frederic departs and prepares to now lead the pirates against the Major-General. The police hide when they hear the band approaching, and the pirates hide when they see the Major-General. When the girls come looking for their father, the pirates suddenly attack and the police are easily defeated. The Pirate King tells the captured Major-General to prepare for death. However, knowing that all Englishmen love the Queen, the police demand that the pirates concede in the monarch’s name, which they do. Just as they are to be led to prison, Ruth reveals that the pirates are actually noblemen who have gone astray. The Major-General forgives the noble pirates, encouraging them to marry his daughters and return to their former lives in Parliament.

11 PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Looking beyond the surface... THE PATTER ARIA One of the most famed of all Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, The Pirates of Penzance contains examples of a patter aria via Major-General Stanley's aria, "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General." A patter aria is known for having a very lively tempo, textual rhyming, and comedic or witty flair. Major-General Stanley’s aria continues to be spoofed and parodied in popular culture.

A MUSICAL NOD In her entrance aria, Mabel engages in an ornamented musical duet with a solo instrument in the orchestra. This moment is a clever nod to a famous scene in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor where the title character, having just murdered her new husband, sings a highly challenging duet with a flute which depicts her hysteria.

THE PREMIERE The Pirates of Penzance was the fifth collaboration for W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. The operetta was first seen on December 30th, 1879 in England and then premiered in New York the following day. A year prior to the opening of The Pirates of Penzance, Gilbert and Sullivan premiered H.M.S. Pinafore in London. Soon after the premiere, many American opera companies produced altered versions of the operetta without permission from the composers and without sending any profits to Gilbert or Sullivan. In order to combat issues with The Pirates of Penzance, Gilbert and Sullivan officially premiered the work in the United States so that they would receive the copyrights and royalties associated with the production of the work.

D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY Founded by Richard D'Oyly Carte to produced Gilbert & Sullivan's works, the D'Oyly

Carte company performed The Pirates of Penzance in Britain for a century! 4

4 Schwarm, B. The Pirates of Penzance. (2015). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica. com/topic/The-Pirates-of-Penzance

PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 12 Engage Your Mind

13 PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Curriculum for further study The following pages contain Lesson Plans and accompanying materials for grades 6-12. Lesson Plans were crafted according to curriculum standards as set forth and approved by the state of Florida. Palm Beach Opera's curriculum is approved by The School District of Palm Beach County.

For questions about the Lesson Plans, email [email protected].

PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 14 Filling the Modern Major-General’s Shoes (6-8) LESSON PLAN Organization Name: School Name: Date: UNIT LESSON: Students will identify their musical preferences through a compare/contrast process; additionally, students will understand the use of parody and create an original work.

Suggested Time Frame: 1 to 2 days

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How do we evaluate music and can we use existing music to inspire our own musical creations?

ART STANDARD(S): FLORIDA STANDARD(S) & NGSSS: (C-Palms) (C-Palms) MU.68.O.1.1 LAFS.68.WHST.2.4

ART CONTENT LEARNING GOAL: CORE CONTENT LEARNING GOAL: Compare various performances of “I am the very Produce clear and coherent writing in verse form model of a modern Major-General” from The based on your personal experiences. Pirates of Penzance; create your own rendition of the famous song.

I CAN: Evaluate music using a set of criteria Create unique artistic work that represents me or a part of my life VOCABULARY: parody

TECHNOLOGY & MATERIALS: Criteria Worksheet, Musical Parody selections, Student synopsis sheet, Teacher Musical Examples and Synopsis sheet, speakers, access to audio/video files, notebook paper for creative verse

LESSON : Step 1: Let students know that they are going to get acquainted with a very famous song from Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance. Explain that they will hear three renditions of “I am the very model of the modern Major-General.”

Step 2: Tell students they will make choices about which version of “I am the very model of the modern Major-General” they prefer and explain why. Ask students how they decide which songs they like to listen to in everyday life. Ask how students decide which singers’ voices they like to listen to in their everyday life. Make a list of answers for the class to reference throughout the exercise.

Step 3: Hand out the Criteria Worksheet and read through the information aloud.

Step 4: Using the criteria provided, instruct students to make observations about each version of the song. They will use these observations to choose which version they like the best and explain their choice.

Step 5: Play each version of “I am the very model of the modern Major-General,” giving students time to write down their observations after each version.

Step 6: listening is complete, encourage students to share which version they prefer and why.

Step 7: Next, ask students if they had ever heard the tune of “I am the very model of the modern Major-General” before the class. Tell students that the song from The Pirates of Penzance has been parodied several times. Ask if anyone can define parody (an imitation of the style of a particular writer, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect).

Step 8: Play selected parody versions for the class, asking them to pay close attention to the lyrics. After listening to the parodies, challenge students to create their own:  They need only complete one verse, but two verses are encouraged  They can/should use the provided verse sample an inspiration, maintaining the rhythmic structure, number of syllables, and overall rhyme scheme (“I am the very model of a modern Major-General” Excerpt sheet)  Students should use their own life, experiences, and ideas as inspiration for their parody.

An appropriate time frame for verse creation should be designated by the teacher; this may very well be a take home exercise.

Step 9: Encourage students to share their verse with the class. You are welcomed to record verses and send them along to Palm Beach Opera for viewing. Perhaps we will share them with the community leading up to the production.

ASSESSMENT: 4 – Student enthusiastically shared their verse(s), met the requirements of the parody, and produced thorough observations based on criteria provided.

3 – Student shared their verse(s), met most of the requirements of the parody, and produced fairly thought-out observations of each version of “I am the very model of a modern Major-General.”

2 – Student did not share their verse(s) and/or met only one requirement of the parody. Observations were minimal.

1 – Student did not participate in the activity.

TEST TAKING STRATEGIES: following instructions, analyzing information, time management, organizing information, written communication

ESOL STRATEGIES: Using digital media

  

Exploring the History of Piracy: Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance (9-12) LESSON PLAN Organization Name: School Name: Date: UNIT LESSON: Students will research specifics aspects of Pirate culture in order to build a knowledge base of pirate life and glean a deeper understanding of the opera The Pirates of Penzance.

Suggested Time Frame: 7 to 9 days (1 day in class for prep; 1 to 2 days in class for presentations)

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How does our knowledge and understanding of a culture enhance our artistic experiences?

ART STANDARD(S): FLORIDA STANDARD(S) & NGSSS: (C-Palms) (C-Palms) TH.912.C.1.6 LAFS.910.WHST.3.7; LAFS.910.WHST.3.8; LAFS.910.SL.2.5; LAFS.1112.WHST.3.7; LAFS.1112.WHST.3.8; LAFS.1112.SL.2.5

ART CONTENT LEARNING GOAL: CORE CONTENT LEARNING GOAL: Students will identify and respond to historical, Students will gather relevant information from social, and/or cultural contexts as it relates to the several sources regarding a selected topic and operatic work The Pirates of Penzance. conduct a short research project to answer a question.

I CAN: Choose a topic that is meaningful to me Make connections between a society’s culture and a work of art Answer a research question Present my personal findings in an interesting and articulate way

VOCABULARY: Opera, synopsis, culture, research question, topic, digital element

TECHNOLOGY & MATERIALS: The Pirates of Penzance Resource Guide (includes the synopsis), Topic List Handout, Projector or Computer Screen as needed for display of digital elements in paper presentations LESSON : Step 1: Read through the synopsis of The Pirates of Penzance with your class. It is suggested that students are called upon to read the synopsis aloud to accommodate both visual and auditory learners. (Extra: listen to the provided selections.)

Step 2a: Ask the students what elements make up a group or society’s culture. Define culture. Step 2b: Hand out the Topic List to your students, explaining that each student should select the topic they find most curious or interesting.

Step 3: Task students with a brief exploratory project – they are to use internet access or library access to find three interesting points about their topic and, subsequently choose a research question for deeper study. Students should turn their written research questions accompanied by their interesting points to you at your designated time.

Step 4: Once you have approved their research question, students should complete a three to four page paper that 1) answers their research question, 2) thoroughly explains their topic choice, 3) connects the topic choice to the synopsis of The Pirates of Penzance and 4) explains why a deeper understanding of pirate culture will enhance their viewing of Palm Beach Opera’s The Pirates of Penzance. The paper should be completed based on your timeline.

Step 5: Paper presentations should take place at the teacher’s discretion and include a visual representation of work. The visual component should showcase images relevant to The Pirates of Penzance and the topic choice/research questions. It is recommended that students include some digital element in their presentation (i.e. collective website visit during the presentation, slide presentation with video or animation inclusion, etc.).

ASSESSMENT: 4 – Student effectively answered the research question, provided a thorough explanation of the topic, connected the topic to Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance, explained their expectations of an enhanced experience at the opera, and included digital elements in their paper presentation.

3 – Student effectively answered the research question, provided some insight into the topic choice, connected the topic to The Pirates of Penzance, and used a digital element in their presentation.

2 – Student answered the research question, used a digital element in their presentation, but did not adequately inform the class about their topic and/or did not meet the paper length requirement.

1 – Student did complete the paper or presentation as tasked.

TEST TAKING STRATEGIES: following instructions, analyzing information, time management, organizing information, written communication

ESOL STRATEGIES: Using visuals

Created by Jourdan Laine Howell for Palm Beach Opera Copyright Palm Beach Opera, Inc 2016