“Mighty maiden with a mission,
Paragon of common sense;
Running fount of erudition,
Miracle of eloquence!”
Princess Ida
Poster design by Tom McGregor and Mary Olson
“With joy abiding, together gliding,
Through life’s variety, in sweet society,
And thus enthroning the love I’m owning,
On this atoning, I will rely!”
Princess Ida
Princess Ida
March 2 through March 25, 2018
The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company is pleased to announce that it will present Princess Ida, from March 2 through March 25, 2018.
This steampunk inspired production of Princess Ida will be directed by Joe Andrews, with Music Direction by Dr. Randal A. Buikema.
Princess Ida; or, Castle Adamant tells the story of Princess Ida and Prince Hilarion, who were married in infancy by their fathers, King Gama and King Hildebrand. Ida, however, refuses to be bound by the decisions that others have made for her and has left her father’s court to establish a college for women from which all men are barred. Hilarion and his friends infiltrate the castle, disguised as women, in Hilarion’s attempt to win Princess Ida’s love. King Hildebrand, however, grows impatient and storms the castle. Ida is abandoned by her women, who fear a military conflict, and is failed by her brothers who offer to fight for her, but lose. Ultimately, as she has come to know Hilarion, realizes that she loves him and decides for herself that she will consent to their marriage.
In Princess Ida, Gilbert satirizes feminism, women’s education and Darwinian evolution, which were controversial topics in conservative Victorian England. The operetta is based on a narrative poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, called The Princess, written in 1847. Gilbert had written a farcical musical play, based on the poem, in 1870, and lifted much of the dialogue of Princess Ida directly from his 1870 farce.
Princess Ida is the only Gilbert and Sullivan opera
in three acts and the only one with dialogue in
blank verse.
Princess Ida was produced between Iolanthe and The Mikado, when Gilbert and Sullivan were at the height of their creative powers. The score is Sullivan at his best, and some people consider that Gilbert’s libretto contains some of his funniest lines.
The cast for this production of Princess Ida includes:
| Princess Ida: | Sarah Wind Richens | |
| Hilarion: | Anthony Rohr | |
| Lady Blanche: | Deb Haas | |
| King Hildebrand: | Wally Benbenek | |
| Lady Psyche: | Sarah Mehle | |
| King Gama: | Scott Benson | |
| Melissa: | Kara Morgan | |
| Cyril: | Carl Rosamilia | |
| Sacharissa: | Kaitlin Klemencic | |
| Florian: | Ryan Johnson | |
| Chloe: | Emily Garst | |
| Arac: | Doug Freeman | |
| Ada: | Holly Windle | |
| Guron: | Joe Allen | |
| Scynthius: | Alessio Tranchell | |
| Chorus of Courtiers, Soldiers, University Professors and Students | ||
| James Brooks | Axl Dahl | |
| Jeff Erickson | Claudia Finsaas | |
| Alex Gerchak | Taylor Ann Grand | |
| Mary Gregory | Paul Gutmann | |
| Stephen Hage | Shawn Holt | |
| Jonah Heuer | Brian Ingalsbe | |
| Jerry Kurek | Maddy La Roche | |
| Dean Laurance | Anna Maher | |
| Wendy Matsutani | Blanka Melbostad | |
| Charlotte Morrison | John Orbison | |
| Richard Rames | Bryan Reed | |
| Nikolas William Simmons | Evan Slack | |
| Rhea Sullivan | Cassie Utt | |
What is steampunk? The following two videos provide some insight …
PBS Arts Presents: Steampunk
Beyond the Gears: The Steampunk Movement
What is steampunk? Information is available at …
The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences: What is Steampunk?
The Daily Dot: What is Steampunk?
Two excellent internet resources for information about Princess Ida: