|
Title |
|
The Gondoliers (or The King of Barataria) |
| Composer |
|
Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842 - 1900) |
| Librettist |
|
William S. Gilbert (1836 - 1911) |
| Genre |
|
Light opera |
|
First performance |
|
Savoy Theatre, London, 7 December, 1889. |
| Time of
action |
|
1750. |
| Place of action |
|
- The Piazetta in Venice.
- Pavilion in the Palace of
Barataria (three months later).
|
| Main parts |
|
Gianetta, contadine |
soprano |
| |
|
Marco Palmieri,
gondolier |
tenor |
| |
|
Giuseppe Palmieri, gondolier |
baritone |
| |
|
Tessa, contadine |
mezzo-soprano |
| |
|
The duchess of Plaza-Toro |
contralto |
| |
|
The duke of Plaza-Toro |
baritone |
| |
|
Luiz, his attendant |
tenor |
| |
|
Don Alhambra del Bolero, the
Grand Inquisitor |
bass/baritone |
| |
|
Casilda, the duchess's daughter |
soprano |
|
Prominence of chorus |
|
Large. |
|
Orchestra |
|
2 flutes, 1
oboe, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2
French horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, kettle-drums,
percussion, strings. |
|
Special demands |
|
This is the only Gilbert-and-Sullivan opera for
which three, instead of two, trombones are needed. |
|
Full score and orchestral parts |
|
Available. |
|
Level |
|
Not particularly difficult; many solo parts to
be cast. |
|
Length |
|
Two acts, together about 2½ hours. |
| Music |
|
Next to The Mikado, this is the most popular
Gilbert-and-Sullivan opera. Gilbert must have been specially inspired while
writing it. It is a stream of splendid choruses, soli, duets and ensembles,
in elegant Italian or, here and there, Spanish style. Highlights: two
magnificent finales and the cachucha, a splendid dancing scene for
chorus. |
| Story |
|
As a baby, the crown prince of Barataria was
kidnapped and put in the charge of a Venetian gondolier who had a little boy
of the same age. By now, the two boys are grown-up and married. One day, a
certain Don Alhambra arrives and announces that one of them is king of
Barataria. Because it is no longer clear which of the two was the kidnapped
child, it is decided, for the time being, to put them on the throne
together, until the prince's former nurse has arrived to clear up the
question of identity. The matter is further complicated when it appears that
the baby prince was wedded to Casilda, daughter of the duke of Plaza-Toro;
so one of the young men is an ordinary gondolier and the other is king - and
a bigamist. After numerous comic developments the matter is solved in a way
that is satisfactory to all parties. |
|
Costumes |
|
Men: two costumes - as gondoliers and as
courtiers.
Women: one costume: Venetian folk-dress. |
