AAARRRRGH!
Join us as we sail into the hilarious, over-the-top sights, sounds & antics of Gilbert & Sullivan’s
The Pirates of Penzance!
OPC is excited to bring this swashbuckling good time to Columbus
Friday, June 21 7:30 P.M. & Sunday, June 23 3:00 P.M.
The Lincoln Theatre.
Directed by Eric Gibson
Conducted by William Boggs
Stay tuned for upcoming cast announcements!
The Pirates of Penzance centers around Frederic, an apprentice to a band of tender-hearted pirates. When Frederic turns 21, he is released from his apprenticeship and sets out to begin his new life. He meets the daughters of Major-General Stanley, including Mabel, and the two young people fall instantly in love. Frederic however learns that he was born on the 29th of February, Leap Year, and the terms of his apprenticeship which were miscommunicated by his nursemaid, specifically stated he remain with the pirates until his “21st birthday,” not 21 years of age. Technically, he has a birthday only once every four years on leap day, which means he must serve for another 63 years. Bound by his own sense of duty, Frederic’s only solace is that Mabel agrees to faithfully wait for him. More hijinks ensue as the story continues with everyone hoping for a happy ending!
The Pirates of Penzance is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. Its official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City, December 31, 1879, and its London debut was April 3, 1880, at the Opera Comique, where it ran for 363 performances. The Pirates of Penzance remains a frequently referenced and recognized work by Gilbert and Sullivan.
Many will recognize the Major-General’s aria, “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General”. The challenging and witty patter has proved irresistible and continues to be parodied and imitated.
The Pirates of Penzance is a family friendly performance, and we hope to see audience members of all ages at our shows.
We are offering up to 2 $12 children’s tickets (12 and under) with an adult ticket purchase.
We are proud to present you with Parts 4 & 5 of Opera Project Columbus’
I, Too, Sing America series.
I, Too, Sing America, is a 5-part video series presenting operatic works by Black composers from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries that have been largely overlooked or forgotten as a result of the opera world’s history of systemic racism. The Inaugural episode was presented on WBNS-10 TV during Black History Month and was filmed during the pandemic when theatres and performances were shuttered. The initial program was such a success that subsequent episodes were produced, each paying tribute to a variety of forgotten or underperformed works by Black composers, Lyricists, and Arrangers.
Greater Columbus Arts Council’s Arts Excellence Award, Winner (2021), Finalist (2023)
"This project is of global importance, I know all of you are supporters of this work, and I hope that after viewing this today you will be inspired to give and to do more, but most importantly I hope that you will share this story with others so they can share this effort and ensure that these works are never lost to history again because of systems of power that have prevented Black artists and art from realizing their fullest potential"
Rebecca Asmo, Executive Director of Ohio Humanities.
The I, Too, Sing America Series was written and produced by the staff of Opera Project Columbus and was filmed and edited by Spyroll Studios, in Columbus, Ohio, from 2021-2023.
A glimpse at Opera Project Columbus’ March 2022 performance of
“Great American Opera: Menotti & Gershwin”
Photography by David Turner Photography
OUR MISSION
We seek out, find, and nurture raw and emerging operatic talent as we reinvent the art form to appeal to contemporary audiences. We also aim to grow and raise the standards of the Central Ohio arts community by infusing it with our unique brand of opera.
OUR DRIVE
Opera singers are not born, they are made – through hours and weeks and years of practice and performance. At Opera Project Columbus, we are working hard to create opportunities for emerging artists from Central Ohio (and beyond) to practice their craft, and for local audiences to reap the benefits.
