The Mikado Returns to Rockdale

The Mikado Returns to Rockdale

After an absence of 12 years, Gilbert and Sullivan's much-loved operetta The Mikado will return to the Rockdale Town Hall stage in an all new production directed by Elizabeth Lowrencev.

Rockdale  Opera Company’s production will be fully staged, costumed and accompanied by a full orchestra under the baton of musical director Vincent Colagiuri, who has worked on many operatic productions for Opera Australia, Western Australian Opera Company and Opera Queensland. Vincent was also Musical Director of the Australasian revival of The Phantom of The Opera, and has accompanied such artists as Elaine Paige, Kiri te Kanawa, Cheryl Barker and Marina Prior.

Rising opera star Kirralee Hillier plays the lead female role of Yum Yum. Kirralee is a recent graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and her passion for performing has led her to perform with a number of internationally acclaimed artists such as Hans Zimmer and Patti Lupone. “I honestly can’t wait to play this role, she is so much fun!” said Kirralee.

Playing Yum Yum’s love interest is Daniel Verschuer, a promising young tenor and also a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Daniel returns to Rockdale Opera Company having previously featured in the production of The Gondoliers (2017), as well the 70th Anniversary Gala Concert last November. In portraying Nanki-Poo, Daniel is returning to a role he first performed whilst at school!

Andrew Brunsdon is taking on the irrepressible character of Ko-Ko with relish and can’t wait to let him loose on the town of Titipu.

Playing the indominable Katisha, mezzo Carli Partridge has performed in Australia and Germany on the concert, oratorio and opera stage. Carli has appeared as a Pacific Opera Young Artist, both in concert and stage productions, and was nominated for a Broadway-World-Sydney-Award in 2017.

Rounding out this cast are Gordon Costello who plays the pompous Pooh-Bah, Brett Crocker as The Mikdao, Vi King Lim as Pish-Tush, Zoe Yalouris as Pitti-Sing and Imogen Bilinsky as Peep-Bo.

The Mikado is possibly the most popular piece of musical theatre of all time, when its 132-year history is taken into account. For decades, a production of G&S’s satirical opera could be seen somewhere in the English-speaking world every day of the year.

Its libretto has even found its way into our language, with expressions including “Let the punishment fit the crime.” Several films have been made of or about the Mikado, including Mike Leigh’s 1999 film Topsy-Turvy, which presented an intimate portrait of the characters of Sir W.S. Gilbert, Sir Arthur Sullivan, with the cast of the original D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, following G&S’s inspiration and development of the very first Mikado production.

The Mikado follows the son of the Mikado ,disguised as a wandering minstrel ,as he woos his beloved and attempts to evade both of their would-be spouses. The convoluted plot and delightfully clever score make for a hilarious criticism of the 19th century British elite. 

Gilbert & Sullivan wrote ​The Mikado​ in 1885 when England was experiencing a craze for all things Japanese as a result of the opening of trade with Japan. Gilbert & Sullivan looked to the East in writing this trenchant critique of Victorian England and used Japanese characters to represent British  scions of society.

The wonderful score features some of the most popular G & S melodies including “Three Little Maids from School”, “I Have a Little List” and “Tit-Willow”.

Rockdale Opera Company presents The Mikado

June 22-30

Rockdale Town Hall

Tickets www.rockdaleopera.com.au or phone 02 81971796

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