The Victorian Lyric Opera Company
Follow VLOC
  • About VLOC
    • If You Want To Know Who We Are >
      • Board of Directors
      • Financials & Strategic Plan
      • Commitment to Anti-Racism
      • Reviews, Press & Awards
    • VLOC Hall of Fame >
      • Hall of Ancestors
      • Flowers of Progress
    • Blog
    • Video
    • Education & Community Engagement >
      • Educational Resources
    • Contact Us
  • Performances
    • A Gilbert & Sullivan Drawing Room >
      • VIEW: Gilbert & Sullivan Drawing Room
    • Archive >
      • The Pirates of Penzance (2020)
      • Double Bill: Brides & Mothers/Cox & Box (2019)
      • Little Red's Most Unusual Day (2019)
      • The Queen's Lace Handkerchief (2019)
      • More...
  • Get Involved
    • Online Cabaret
    • Auditions
    • Staff & Volunteer Opportunities
    • Membership
    • Cast Portal
  • Support
    • Donate >
      • Benefits
    • Advertise
    • Shop

Gilbert & Sullivan's
The Gondoliers
or, The King of Barataria

June 16, 17, 18, 23, 24 & 25, 1989

Directed by Marion Scodari
Music Directed by Barry Morley

Picture

Cast

The Duke of Plaza-Toro, A Grandee of Spain - Peter Kline (June 16, 17, 18)
                                                                Daniel Lyons (June 23, 24, 25)
Luiz - Elwood Zimmerman
Don Alhambra del Bolero - Barry Grinnell
Venetian Gondoliers
        Marco Palmieri - Daryl Landis
        Giuseppe Palmieri - Gordon Brigham
        Antonio - Lyle Jaffe
        Francesco - Chris Corbliss (June 16, 17, 18)
                       John Austen (June 23, 24, 25)
        Giorgio - Tim Briceland-Betts (June 16, 17, 18)
                   Ed Wiot (June 23, 24, 25)
        Annibale - Jim Hummel
The Duchess of Plaza-Toro -  Linda Lynch (June 16, 17, 18)
                                           Rosalie Santilhano (June 23, 24, 25)
Casilda, Her Daughter -Lucy Greene
Contradine
        Gianetta - Linda Kirk
        Tessa - Syril Lessans
        Fiametta - Bridget MacKillop
        Vittoria - Ellen Sherfey
        Giulia - Helene Siegel
Inez, The King's Foster Mother - Darlene Allen

Chorus of Gondoliers, Contadine, etc. - John Austen, H. Daniel Brewster,    Petra De Bruin, Fran Fleming. Susan Holleran, Donna Jaffe, Stephanie Klin,
   Erik Kreil, Mary Sue Merritt, Gina Nowacki, Toby Odenheim,
   Victor Hugo Porras, Merridith Suter, Nan Suter, Rusty Suter, Kim Williams,    Lou Wiot, Kristina Zimmerman

Cachucha Dancers - Jenny Banks, Megan Coyne, Katie Hammarstrom                                         (Students of Jill Lyons)

Orchestra

Violin - Bonnie Barrows, Don Johnson, Carolyn Larson, Carrie Schoenbach
Viola - Lynn Allen, Rachel Harris
Cello - Sol Feldman, Liz Luck, Andy Rice
Bass - Bill Zschunke
Bassoon - Bobbi Jo Holtz, Nancy Switkes, Larry Washington
Clarinet - Susan Braun, Gene Sober
Oboe - Carl Gardner
Flute - Louise Hill, Jackie Miller, Pauline Summers
French Horn - Don Hunter, Lorin Krusberg
Trumpet - Tom Gleason, Bernie Rappaport
Trombone - Don Allen, Earl Zastrow
Percussion - Tom Christy, Bonny Hilditch

Production Staff

Producer - Gary Pricer
Assistant Directors - Lou Wiot, Barry Morley
Dialogue Coach - Peter Kline
Choreographer - Dee Hoffman
Lighting Design - Dennis Jelalian
Set Design - Marion Scodari
Costume Design - Mary Sue Merritt
Stage Manager - Pam Hodges
Costume Construction - Edith Livingstone, Mary Sue Merritt
Set Construction - Gordon Brigham, Daryl Landis, Erik Kriel,
        Tim Briceland-Betts, Donna Jaffe, Lyle Jaffe, Ed Wiot,                     Stephanie Kline, Marion Scodari, Gary Pricer, Karl Schaefer
Lighting Execution - Sean Doherty
Orchestra Manager - Bonnie Barrows
Properties - Lou Wiot
Artists (Set) - Ellen Sherfey, Bob Rusk
Make-up - Deb Briceland-Betts, Ruth Burdette
Rehearsal Pianists - Judy Gardner, Melinda Bauers
Publicity - Marion Scodari
Flyers - Caroline Hummel
Tickets - AI Santilhano
Refreshments - Deb Briceland-Betts
Photography - Daryl Landis

Special Acknowledgements - Joni Aloi, Edie Anderson,
                    Qaire Breault, Don Cox, Children's Learning Center,
                    Christ Congregational Church, Ken Dahlin,
                    Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church, Bob Giesy,
                    Hammel W. Hough, Harry M. Leet,
                    Rockville High School, Sandy Spring Friends School,
                    Evelyn Uthus-Knowlton and Doug Price of Thronton                         Friends School, Wooden Shoe Bakery


Synopsis

Twenty years before the opening of the action, when Casilda (the heroine) was yet a baby, she and the infant heir to the throne of Barataria were married. Shortly thereafter he disappeared, supposedly abducted to Venice by the Grand Inquisitor, Don Alhambra, and there brought up. At length, as the result of insurrection, the throne of Barataria became vacant; and Casilda's father, the somewhat moth-eaten Duke of Plaza-Toro, wished to establish his daughter as Queen. He accordingly went to Venice--accompanied by his wife, daughter, and Luiz, his drummer--in search of his daughter's missing husband.

As the curtain rises, a chorus of contadine (peasant girls) are waiting for the two leading gondoliers, Giuseppe and Marco, to come and chose their brides from among them. By a sort of blind man's bluff, the two men choose Tessa and Gianetta; and they all dance off to the altar.

The Duke of Plaza-Toro and suite meanwhile arrive in Venice. The Duke tells Casilda about her childhood marriage. Luiz and Casilda (who--unknown to her parents--are in love with each other) accordingly renounce their love. Don Alhambra appears and tells them that the person they are seeking is either Giuseppe or Marco, he is not sure which. He will send for the nurse who took care of the infant prince (she now lives far away, in the mountains); and, when she arrives, she will be able to tell them which one it is. Meanwhile, Giuseppe and Marco are to go to Barataria at once and rule jointly until the matter is straightened out.

Giuseppe and Marco are overjoyed at the prospect; and, with plans for instituting an ideal state in Barataria, they set sail. Tessa and Gianetta must remain behind, with the vague promise from Don Alhambra that they may later join their husbands, and with the idea that one of them will be Queen.

Act II is set in Barataria, where Guiseppe and Marco have established their extremely limited monarchy. Everything seems to be going well except for the fact that they miss their wives. Suddenly Tessa and Gianetta appear, having become impatient and made the trip to Barataria in spite of Don Alhambra's injunction. General happiness now reigns, and all dance a cachucha. .

A slight cloud appears on the horizon when Don Alhambra enters and points out the weaknesses of Giuseppe's and Marco's system of government. When he learns that Tessa and Gianetta are there; he is somewhat disturbed, and tells them about the prince's infant marriage. This revelation is a heavy blow to the hopes of Tessa and Gianetta; for not only is neither of them to be Queen, but also one of them is actually not married at all. The Duke of Plaza-Toro enters and further criticizes Giuseppe's and Marco's court, and attempts to teach the joint rulers some court etiquette.

At length the woman arrives who had been the nurse of the baby prince when he was married to Casilda; she discloses that neither Giuseppe nor Marco is the rightful heir, but Luiz. Thus Casilda is united with the man she loves, and Giuseppe and Marco may return to their wives and gondolas.
© 2021 The Victorian Lyric Opera Company