After spending the past three weekends touring Walnut Creek, Napa Valley, and Mountain View, Lamplighters has brought The Pirates of Penzance, the first production of their new season, to the Novellus Theater at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts here in San Francisco. For those who follow the activities of Summer Music West, the "summer semester" of the Preparatory Division of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, this was the second dose of the Lamplighters approach to William S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan for the summer; but it was the first full-length production. It also provided an opportunity for three of the Summer Music West students to "graduate" into the Lamplighters chorus; and, where Gilbert and Sullivan are concerned, this is a significant achievement.
For all the loopy plot intricacies that Gilbert concocted for each of his collaborations with Sullivan, the ensemble always constitutes the heart of the resulting operetta, not only on the stage but also in the pit. Thus, one knew from the first measures of the overture conducted by Monroe Kanouse that this would be a solid production built on a firm foundation. Kanouse began with a brisk pace that permeated the entire evening, allowing the lyric moments to glow at just the right level before moving on to the next round of twists and turns in the plot. On stage each of the three choruses (pirates, police, and General Stanley's daughters) coupled the homogeneity of a well-blended sound with the heterogeneity of each member establishing an individual character to go with the voice. This attention to detail by Stage Director Phil Lowery was further matched by Scenic Designer Peter Crompton, who set the rocky coast of the first act with a distant view of the ruined chapel of the second act.
Needless to say, all this attention to ensemble detail was complemented by equal attention to the lead characters. Since most of these roles were double-cast, it would be slightly unfair to single out specific names; but a quick review of the biographies made it clear that these were all experienced in both voice and dramatic skills. It was particularly interesting to encounter a Mabel (whose part reveals Sullivan with his most acute coloratura skills) whose resume included Tytania from Benjamin Britten's Midsummer Night's Dream, which may well be the mother of all killer coloratura roles, at least in the twentieth century.
Remaining performances at the Novellus Theater take place tonight (Friday) at 8 PM, tomorrow (Saturday) at 2 PM and 8 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM. There are special price categories for seniors, students, and children aged seventeen and under; and $13 student rush tickets are available at all performances. Further information may be obtained by calling 415-227-4797 or by visiting the Lamplighters Web site. Those among the Gilbert & Sullivan faithful will be far from disappointed, and those coming to this work for the first time will get an excellent sense for why it has such passionate followers.
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