Venice in Peril: Three opera companies go playing at Gondoliers tonight

Slippedisc, courtesy of OperaVision, streams our first comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, The Gondoliers is a charming poke at the appeals and pitfalls of rulership, privilege and cronyism. Scottish Opera’s production, made in collaboration with D’Oyly Carte Opera Company and State Opera South Australia, is directed with verve by Stuart Maunder, and Scottish Opera’s music director, Derek Clark, who conducts one of Arthur Sullivan’s most attractive and affecting scores. ‘Take a pair of sparkling eyes’ with its lyrical grace is probably the most famous number of the opera and the Act II quartet is probably the cleverest as individual voices break out furiously from a moment of artificial calm.

‘The Gondoliers is a glorious confection’, says Maunder, ‘the sunniest, most joyous of the Savoy scores, jam-packed with star roles, all unforgettable. It’s an irresistible helping of relentless joy.’

The Plot: two happy-go-lucky Venetian gondoliers, Marco and Giuseppe, discover that one of them is heir to the throne of a distant kingdom. True to their (adopted) republican roots, they set off together to rule in an idealistic if somewhat chaotic style…

William Morgan sings the role of Marco Palmieri and Mark Nathan sings the role of Giuseppe Palmieri.

Streamed on 4th May at 1900 CET  / 1800 London  / 1300 NY