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Opera on 3

Music: Classical: Opera

Programme presenting rare and fascinating operatic performances

Programme presenting rare and fascinating performances and vividly communicating the immediacy of the live experience

Opera on 3: Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore

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Music: Classical

Philharmonia Orchestra - Ravel, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky

19/09/2015

Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore

BBC Radio 3 - Opera on 3, Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore

Richard Egarr conducts the Orchestra of Scottish Opera in the comic opera HMS Pinafore.

Richard Egarr conducts Gilbert and Sullivan's much-loved nautical comic opera HMS Pinafore at the 2015 Edinburgh International Festival. Including narration by Tim Brooke-Taylor.

Opera on 3 returns this Saturday evening, and the season opens with operas from this year's Summer Festivals, starting with Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore from the Edinburgh International Festival. Richard Egarr conducts the Scottish Opera orchestra in this much-loved nautical comic opera. The story unfolds on the ship HMS Pinafore where the captain's daughter, Josephine has fallen love with the lowly sailor Ralph Rackstraw, though her father has plans for her to marry Sir Joseph Porter. Sir Joseph, First Lord of the Admiralty, played by John Mark Ainsley, is a perfect lampoon of the British class system of the day; a pompous and gloriously incompetent man. This none-the-less likeable character expounds his liberal views on the equality of all humanity and unwitting encourages the couple in love to reject social conventions and elope. A twist in the tale brings this epitome of British silliness and humour to a happy conclusion for all parties. Performed in concert from the Usher Hall in Edinburgh, the story unfolds with additional narration from comic actor and broadcaster, Tim Brooke-Taylor. Presented by Donald Macleod.

Cast:

The Rt Hon Sir Joseph Porter, KCB ..... John Mark Ainsley (tenor)
Captain Corcoran ..... Andrew Foster-Williams (baritone)
Ralph Rackstraw ..... Toby Spence (tenor)
Josephine ..... Elizabeth Watts (soprano)
Mrs Cripps (Little Buttercup) ..... Hilary Summers (contralto)
Cousin Hebe ..... Kitty Whately (mezzo-soprano)
Dick Deadeye ..... Neal Davies (bass-baritone)
Bill Bobstay ..... Gavan Ring (baritone)
Bob Becket ..... Barnaby Rea (baritone)

Tim Brooke-Taylor (narrator)
Chorus of HMS Pinafore
The Orchestra of Scottish Opera
Richard Egarr (conductor).

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