The BU School of Music Presents “The Gondoliers”

Brandon, MB – Building upon the successes of “Cosi fan tutte”, “The Mikado” and last year’s “Albert Herring”, the Opera Ensemble at the BU School of Music will present Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Gondoliers”

Often described as the compositional team’s happiest musical, “The Gondoliers” is a comic tale of love and mistaken identities recounted through Gilbert and Sullivan’s catchy music, clever lyrics, and topical humor.

Principal roles in “The Gondoliers” will be performed primarily by students in the School of Music’s Opera Workshop class – Jessica Armenti, Chelsea Chimilar, Kyle James, Connor Lavell, Sage Robinson, Kendra Thompson and Nicholas Urquhart.  Other roles will be played by guest artists Brett Bews (“Albert” in last year’s acclaimed “Albert Herring”, Nanki Poo in “The Mikado”), John Blyth (“Superintendent Budd” in “Albert Herring”, Ko-Ko in “The Mikado”) and Jess Popeski (“Florence” in “Albert Herring”, Katisha in “The Mikado”). These performers will be joined by several students from Vincent Massey High School, who will flesh out the chorus.

“We’re very grateful for this collaboration and appreciate the help of Marla Fontaine, Vincent Massey’s choir director, for creating this liaison between the performers,” says conductor David Playfair. “The students have been wonderfully enthusiastic, singing very well and being so committed.”

“The Gondoliers” will be performed in concert format, without full staging, costumes, scenery or props.

“Staging a performance in concert allows the student performers to focus on the techniques we’ve been developing in the Opera Workshop class,” says stage director Gordon Portman. “These circumstances allow them to tell a dramatic story through the creation of a character while performing some challenging, sophisticated music and lyrics, without the added pressure of incorporating other production elements, which they will do in our full opera production next year.”

Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Gondoliers” will be performed in the Lorne Watson Recital Hall at the Brandon University School of Music, on Friday, March 11, at 8 p.m. as well as Sunday, March 13, at 2 p.m.  Tickets will be available at the door, or by calling 727-9631.

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For more information, please contact:

Gordon Portman

727-4074

or

David Playfair

727 – 7336

or

Joanne F. Villeneuve
Communications
Brandon University
270 – 18th Street
Brandon, MB  R7A 6A9
Tel. 204-727-9762
https://www.brandonu.ca

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