MACON – The Mercer University Opera will present Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers Jan. 13-15 at Neva Langley Fickling Hall on Mercer's Macon campus.
The popular comedy is directed by Martha Malone with Richard Kowsowski, conductor. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets are first-come, first-served and available at the door. General admission is $12, $7 for Mercer faculty/staff, and free for students with a Mercer I.D. A matinee for kids will take place Jan. 14 at 4:30 p.m. This special one-hour performance is free and suggested for grades K-6.
The Gondoliers opened in 1889 and is considered the last big hit of Victorian operetta dream team lyricist W.S. Gilbert and composer Sir Arthur Sullivan.
“The Gondoliers is a brilliant satire on class distinctions, and the absurd and hilarious plot still resonates today, with a wry look at politics and power. This is a lovely way to start the New Year – a luscious confection of laughter and music, with just enough spice to keep you entertained,” said Malone.
When choosing titles for Mercer Opera, Malone said she looks for shows that offer a wide range of characters and musical genres for Townsend's talented singers. “From Venetian boatmen to peasants, a Spanish Grandee and comic servants, we have just the right singer-actor for each role.”
The Gondoliers features singing, dancing, romance, pathos and comedy. “I love the music; it is inventive and challenging,” said Kosowski, who also serves as Mercer Opera's music director.
Start your new year by entering the madcap world of Gilbert and Sullivan. This production is made possible by the help of choreographer Faith Madison, set designer Patrick Hamilton and costumer designer Shelley Kuhen.
About Townsend School of Music
Mercer University's Townsend School of Music, the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings, the Joan Stockstill Godsey Center for Keyboard Studies and the Townsend-McAfee Institute for Graduate Studies offer undergraduate and graduate professional music studies in a comprehensive university environment. Townsend is nationally recognized for its outstanding faculty, award-winning students, performance ensembles and state-of-the-art facilities. The McDuffie Center, a special institute within Townsend School of Music, is a highly selective program that prepares string students for success in the real world. Students study with some of America's most renowned string musicians, receiving music instruction of conservatory quality, while earning an academically well-rounded education from a comprehensive, nationally recognized university. For more information and a complete listing of this season's concerts please visit www.mercer.edu/music, or call (478) 301-2748.
