Information vegetable, animal and mineral: Gilbert & Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance

EDMONTON, AB ’Äì Complete with high-jinx, high-silliness and high-notes on the high-seas, Edmonton Opera presents the Gilbert and Sullivan classic, Pirates of Penzance, February 6, 9 and 11, 2010 at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. All performances begin at 7:30pm. Tickets, ranging from $32 to $165, are on sale now at Ticketmaster, call 780-451-8000 or visit www.ticketmaster.ca.

’ÄúThis show makes fun of absolutely everything,’Äù says Edmonton Opera Artistic Director Brian Deedrick.  ’ÄúAnd who better to bring the hilarity and exuberance of Gilbert and Sullivan back to Edmonton Opera’Äôs stage than the director/conductor team, Rob Herriot and Peter Dala, who brought us the Sterling Award-winning H.M.S. PINAFORE and Daughter of the Regiment!’Äù

Also known as The Slave of Duty, Pirates of Penzance follows young Frederic as he celebrates the end of his 21-year apprenticeship with a band of merry pirates. When he leaves the ship and reaches civilization, he meets Mabel, (modern) Major General Stanley’Äôs daughter, and the young couple falls in love instantly. Plot twists abound before Frederic discovers his apprenticeship contract is to end on his 21^st birthday. Technically, having been born February 29, only five of Frederic’Äôs leap-year birthdays have passed, and he owes the pirates another 64 years of apprenticeship. Mabel and Frederic agree to remain faithful to each other until they are reunited upon his release, whereupon the plot thickens once more.

Comedy super-duo Director Robert Herriot and Conductor Peter Dala team up once more, with Curt Olds as Major General Stanley, Aaron St. Clair Nicholson as the Pirate King and Lawrence Wiliford as Frederic. The powerhouse cast includes Edmonton’Äôs own Andrew MacDonald-Smith at the Police Sergeant, Sonia Gosse as Ruth, Nikki Einfeld as Mabel, Kendra O’ÄôConnor in her Edmonton Opera dˆ©but as Edith, and Edmonton-favourite Renˆ©e Brad as Kate. The production also features live accompaniment by Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Edmonton Opera Chorus. Pirates of Penzance is sung in English, with English surtitles projected above the stage.

Watch Brian Deedrick and the Edmonton Operateers’Äô Pirates of Penzance synopsis here.

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For more information about Edmonton Opera’Äôs season, signature events and education programs, visit www.edmontonopera.com.