“With heart and with voice
Let us welcome this mating;
Leave them here to rejoice,
With true love palpitating,
Alexis the brave,
And the lovely Aline!”
The Sorcerer
Oh joy! oh joy!
The charm works well,
And all are now united.
The blind young boy
Obeys the spell,
Their troth they all have plighted!
The Sorcerer
The Sorcerer
March 10 to April 2, 2023
The GSVLOC Health and Safety Plan for Our Audience
The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company is pleased to announce that it will present The Sorcerer, for four weekends, from March 10 to April 2, 2023.
This production will be directed by Gary Briggle, with music direction by Dr. Randal Buikema.
The cast for this production of The Sorcerer includes:
John Wellington Wells: Sif Oberon
Aline: Maggie Benham /
Anna Maher
Alexis: Seth Tychon Steidl
Lady Sangazure: Lara Trujillo
Sir Marmaduke: Waldyn Benbenek
Mrs. Partlett: J. R. Andrews
Constance: Kaoru Shoji
Dr. Daly: Doug Freeman
Notary: John Orbison
Chorus of Townspeople
Joe Allen Mary Mescher Benbenek
Scott Benson Tom Berg
Sarah Brickeen James Brooks
Kelly Danger Theresa Drexler
Alyssa Ehlen Jeff Erickson
Mary Gregory Jakob Gomez
Scott Gorman Stephen Hage
Shawn Holt Mary Kettlewell
Kaitlin Klemencic Dean Laurance
Ella Rose Mahlum Blanka Melbostad
Eric Pasternack Matthew Polum
Mallory Rabehl Richard Rames
Lowell Rice Rhea Sullivan
Sam Vinitsky Holly Windle
Josh Zapata-Palmer
The Sorcerer’s plot involves an engaged couple, Alexis and Aline, the son and daughter of the community’s two aristocratic families. The couple wish that everyone could be as happily in love as they are. In addition, Alexis believes that love should level all ranks and social distinctions. To achieve both goals, Alexis hires John Wellington Wells of J. W. Wells & Co., Family Sorcerers, to put a love potion into the tea that the villagers will drink at a celebration in honor of the couple. The love potion causes everyone in the village to fall in love with the first person they see, regardless of rank or social distinction. This results in the pairing of comically mismatched couples … including Alexis and Aline’s parents. All is made right in the end, when a sacrifice is made to break the spell.
The Sorcerer was Gilbert and Sullivan’s third collaboration, following Trial by Jury and preceding H.M.S. Pinafore. The operetta satirized Victorian era class distinctions and operatic conventions. The success of The Sorcerer cemented Gilbert and Sullivan’s partnership and set the pattern and style that made Gilbert and Sullivan’s following operas so successful. The Sorcerer opened on November 17, 1877 and ran for 175 performances.
Two excellent internet resources for information about The Sorcerer:
The Gilbert & Sullivan Archive – The Sorcerer
All performances will be at the Howard Conn Fine Arts Center, at Plymouth Congregational Church, located at 1900 Nicollet Avenue South, in Minneapolis. Friday and Saturday evening performances are at 7:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees are at 2:00 pm.
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