Pirates of Penance

Pirates of Penzance

​Music: Arthur Sullivan

Libretto: WS Gilbert (Translated from Offenbach's operetta Les Brigand

1880

​OPERA COMIQUE VS OPERA SERIA

1. Opera Comique-an opera on a lighthearted theme, typically in French and with spoken dialogue.

2. Opera Seria-an opera (especially one of the 18th century in Italian) on a serious, usually classical or mythological theme.

​Main Characters

• Mabel (soprano)

• Pirate King (baritone)

• Ruth, Frederic’s nurse and pirate maid of all work (contralto)

• Police Sergeant (bass)

• Frederic, pirate apprentice (tenor)

• Major-General Stanley (baritone)

• Pirates, police, General Stanley’s daughters

Frederic is placed in a life of indentured servitude with the pirates because of wording on a document that Ruth has done.

Frederic is introduced to the Major Generals group of daughters. One (Mabel) takes interest. Frederic and Mabel make googly eyes at each other while talking about the weather (How Beautiful the Sky)

Pirates are making chaos with the daughters and Frederic runs them away. He tells them to leave before the pirates come back, but they found them on the run and kidnap them.

Mabel warns the kidnappers her father is a "Modern Major General" hence his entrance (pleading with the pirates andd telling them he is an orphan to gain pity) and the pirates release his daughters.

​Pirates

From Cornwall

Frederic is wanting to go into the army

Ruth made mistake and signed him away to a pirates life

​Queen Victoria's Army

Act 1

Frederic is alone and goes to the police to atone for his life of piracy

Frederic's birthday falls on February 29! Which means technically he is only 5 years old!!! Because of this, Frederic believes he needs to go back to living the pirate life.

Frederic was aware of the Major-General's lies and when he went back to the pirate life, made the Pirate King aware as well.

"Their vengeance will be swift!"

Ruth stands in the pirates defence and swears they are noblemen gone awry. Major-General forgives them and Frederic is reunited with Mabel. The other daughters are married to the ex-pirates

Pirates

The Major-General sits in a chapel being tortured by his conscience about the lie he had told the pirates.

Police Sergeant enters ready to arrest the pirates. The girls go nuts over the sergeant making the police uneasy and the police leave

Major-General awakes because of his conscience (Pirates are hidden near him)

Pirates leap forth and capture the Major General preparing him to die

Police are rushed in but are defeated

Sergeant demands their release in Queen Victoria's name. and the pirates abide.

​Army

ACT 2