Leap Day Special: Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance”

Tonight at 7:00 on the “Evening Concert’ we’ll present a special program featuring the new D’Oyle Carte Orchestra, Chorus and vocal soloists in “The Pirates of Penzance”. The protagonist of “Pirates” is Frederic, indentured to a band of Pirates, not Pilots as was intended, which leads to a typically twisted British humor plot, with lyrics by Gilbert and music by Sullivan.

The Pirates of Penzance from D’Oyle Carte Orchestra and Chorus, John Pryce Jones conducting.

Philip Creasy as Frederic; Susan Gorton as Ruth, the Nursemaid; Malcolm Rivers as The Pirate King; Gareth Jones as Samuel; Marilyn Hill Smith as Mabel; Eric Roberts as Major-General Stanley; Simon Masterton-Smith as Edward, Sergeant of Police; Pauline Birchall as Kate; Patricia Cameron as Edith

(Sony Classical S2K 58892 1990)

Act I

Overture (Orchestra)

1. Pour, oh pour the pirate sherry (Samuel, Pirates)

2. When Fred'ric was a little lad (Ruth)

3. Oh, better far to live and die (Pirate King, Pirates)

4. Oh, false one, you have deceived me (Frederic, Ruth)

5. Climbing over rocky mountain (Girls, Edith, Kate)

6. Stop! ladies, pray! A man! (Frederic, Girls)

7. Oh, is there not one maiden breast (Frederic, Girls, Mabel)

8. Poor wand'ring one! (Mabel, Girls)

10. What ought we to do, Gentle sisters say? (Edith, Kate, Girls)

11. How beautifully blue the sky (Girls)

12. Stay, we must not lose our senses (Frederic, Girls, Pirates)

13. Hold, Monsters! (Mabel, Samuel, Girls, Major-General)

14. I am the very model of a modern Major-General (Major-General, Company)

15. Finale, Act one (Company)

Act II

Introduction

1. Oh, dry the glist'ning tear (Mabel, Girls)

2. Then Frederic, let Yout Escort Lion-Hearted (Major-General, Frederic)

3. When the foeman bares his steel (Sergeant, Police, Mabel, Edith, Girls)

4. Now for the pirates lair! (Frederic, Pirate King, Ruth)

5. When you had left our pirate fold (Ruth, Pirate King, Frederic)

6. Away, away, my heart's on fire (Ruth, Pirate King, Frederic)

7. All is prepared (Mabel, Frederic)

8. Stay, Fred'ric stay! (Mabel, Frederic)

9. No, I'll be brave (Mabel, Sergeant, Police)

10. When a felon's not engaged in his employment (Sergeant, Police)

11. A rollicking band of pirates we (Pirates, Sergeant, Police)

12. Hush! Hush! Not a word (Frederic, Pirates, Police, Major-General)

15. Sighing softly to the river (Major-General, Chorus)

16. Now what is this, and what is that (Company)

17. Finale, Act II