William Whitefield and Robin Mahon
(photo credit: Carol Rosegg)
Although The Gondoliers was Gilbert and Sullivan’s last great hit, it is only now getting its first City Center revival by the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players. It joins H.M.S Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado as part of G & S Fest 2008, NYGASP’s first June season at City Center. Although The Gondoliers is not as hilarious as some of the other G & S operettas, it proves to a lively, sprightly show. It brings back popular NYGASP regulars Stephen Quint as the proud Duke of Plaza Toro and Richard Alan Holmes as the imperious Grand Inquisitor Don Alhambra Del Bolero.
The Gondoliers is famous as the G & S show with the longest unbroken musical sequence in the canon, a full twenty minutes of song and dance. It also has the only Italian dialogue in any of their operettas, a short exchange about the beauty of the red and white roses. The operetta includes one of their most famous ballads, the melodic, “When a Merry Maiden Marries,” as well as many clever patter songs. Although Gilbert’s satire of aristocratic privileges versus republican egalitarianism is not as pungent as it was back at its premiere in 1889, its famous line, “When everyone is somebody, than no one’s anybody!”, still gets a big laugh. An ensemble show, The Gondoliers has eight leading roles of about equal length rather than a few big starring parts.
Subtitled The King of Barataria, The Gondoliers begins in 1750 Venice. The financially embarrassed Duke of Plaza Toro arrives from Spain with his proud wife and beautiful daughter Casilda. Unknown to her, when Casilda was a baby, she was betrothed to the heir to the throne of Barataria. Soon afterwards, the baby prince was kidnapped and brought to Venice by the Don Alhambra, the Grand Inquisitor, as the King became a “Wesleyan Methodist of the most bigoted and persecuting type.” The King and his court were soon killed by a republican insurrection. The Prince was brought up by a Venetian gondolier, Baptisto Palmieri, who promptly mixed him up with his own son, and then Palmieri inconveniently died. So now Casilda’s husband is either Marco or Giuseppe Palmieri, gondoliers both, although they are ignorant of the fact of their royalty.
In the meantime, handsome Marco and Giuseppe, the favorites of all the peasant girls, get married so that the other gondoliers can choose from the girls that are left. When notified by the Grand Inquisitor (who conveniently leaves out the fact of the betrothal to Castilda) that one of the two brothers is the King of Barataria, they inform him that they believe in a republican form of government and detest kings. They are finally convinced to go to Barataria and rule jointly until the rightful king is discovered. However, Don Alhambra says that women are not permitted and so the wives of 30 minutes get left behind.
The second act takes place at the court of the island kingdom of Barataria which now has a republican form of government and the two kings cannot get anyone else to do a stitch of work. They are followed there by first, the Duke and his family seeking Casilda’s husband, and later by their wives who still think that one of them is to be queen. Nor is Casilda happy about the situation as she is in love with Luiz, her father attendant. All works out happily when the nursemaid of the baby prince arrives and reunites all the lovers.
The best performances are by the comic characters. Quint is delightful as the proud Duke of Plaza Toro who always expects to be treated with the deference his title requires. He also get to sing two of the operetta’s wittiest numbers, “In enterprise of martial kind,” about how he survived on the battlefield, and “I am a courtier grave and serious,’” in which he advises the new kings as to courtly etiquette. As his even haughtier wife, contralto Angela Smith is quite effective, and has much fun with “On the day I was wedded” in which she reveals the secret of what it is like being married to the duke. Holmes steals every scene he is in with his imperious Don Alhambra, from his Dracula-like “Good evening,” to his rich baritone which he wraps around such numbers as “I stole the prince and brought him here” and “There lived a king.”
Baritone William Whitefield and tenor Colm Fitzmaurice make a convincing pair of brothers, who acquit themselves well singing, dancing and flirting, though Whitefield has the more powerful voice. As their brides, soprano Laurelyn Watson Chase and mezzo Erika Person are extremely charming, and turn their solos “When a merry maiden marries,” and “Kind sir, you cannot have the heart”, respectively, into show stoppers. As the other pair of lovers, Casilda and Luiz, soprano Michele McConnell and tenor Matt Nelson have a beautiful duet with “O rapture, when alone together.” The diction of the entire company is particularly notable with a libretto where every word counts. Jack Garver’s stylized sets and Jan Holland’s colorful costumes add immeasurably to the stage picture.
Conductor Albert Bergeret leads a lively orchestra which in Sullivan’s orchestration for this operetta includes tambourines and castanets. Bill Fabris has created some animated dances particularly for the spirited “Dance a cachucha” number which is also reprised in the finale. In his capacity as stage director, Bergeret has created an unfussy, traditional version of The Gondoliers, which may not be top-drawer Gilbert and Sullivan, but with its Italian–tinged rhythms and social class satire proves to be good fun, nevertheless.
The Gondoliers (in repertory through June 15)
NY City Center, 131 West 55th Street, in Manhattan
For tickets, all 212-581-1212 or http://www.nycitycenter.org