Vancouver Opera To Debut Comedic Opera 'The Pirates Of Penzance' In December

The Vancouver Opera will be staging "The Pirates of Penzance," starting Dec. 1 at the O'Brien Centre for Vancouver Opera.

This comedic opera was composed by Arthur Sullivan and will be directed by Christopher Gaze. This work will feature a small onstage cast and just as modest backstage crew.

The piece will be conducted by Jonathan Darlington and the main characters are Mr. Christopher Gaze himself as "Major-General Stanley." Aaron St. Clair Nicholson will play the role "The Pirate King," while the part of "Frederic," was cast to Roger Honeywell. The final cast member is Judith Frost and she will play as "Ruth."

Joining Gaze in directing duties is assistant director and choreographer Allison Grant while Peter Dean Buck will be the set designer. The costume designer will be Richard Sinclair and lighting design falls to Harry Frehner.

"The Pirates of Penzance," was wildly popular in the late 1870s and also goes by the name of "The Slave Duty" and comprises of two acts.

It centers around the character "Frederic," who has been bound to the pirates for 21 years. Coming to the end of his time with the pirates he vows to destroy them and reveals to them that he sees what they do as vile.

However the pirates follow a code f not attacking or looting orphans, this is a well known fact and every one they come across exploits this truth, leaving the crew poor. The whole play centers on lies and deceit until it gets to the point where "Frederic," finds him flip flopping form side to side with one minute he wants to get revenge on the pirates or save them from arrest from authorities.