In the charming city of Charlottesville in central Virginia lies a gem of an opera company that performs at the wonderful Paramount Theater nestled in a lovely square. The venue itself is a testament to how a modern opera experience should be, as they treat it almost like going to the movies rather than what one might think of when going to the opera. Not only can patrons purchase beverages, including alcoholic beverages, but also popcorn to enjoy between acts. The result is that you know you are there for a great time, and this production of The Pirates of Penzance delivered.
One doesn’t always see a Gilbert and Sullivan production with this meticulous level of choreography, and after seeing director Kyle Lang’s staging and choreography, I would be hard-pressed to want to see anything else. Right away, even the lighting took cues from the music. During the overture, while appreciating the tightly-coordinated orchestra led by conductor Brian Demaris, I noticed the lights changing according to the different motives in the music. This turned out to be a foretelling of everything to come.
Lang’s staging is some of the most energetic you’ll find in the world of opera today. At the end of the overture, the eponymous pirates, played by the men’s chorus with Peter Kendall Clark leading them as The Pirate King and James Robinson as Samuel, tease the curtain so that you feel that they’re about to burst forth. As the opening number “Pour, O Pour The Pirate Sherry” continues, everyone constantly moved about the stage so that poor Ruth, played with both hilarity and aplomb by Amanda Zoe Vest, had to run about the stage spitting out corks from freshly-opened bottles, pouring the said sherry, and catching empty bottles as they were thrown into the air. She had the first aria of the show, “When Frederic Was A Little Lad,” and though she could perhaps have indulged more in a dialect or character voice since Sullivan does not give the character much to work with vocally and since Ruth should not sound too beautiful, I found her diction and overall characterization throughout the show to be clearly and carefully executed. It is little wonder that she is locally regarded as having some of the finest instincts for acting in opera ever seen.
Among the principal roles in this show, Ruth sets the bar since she has that first aria, and in this production the other principals more than met that bar. Peter Kendall Clark as The Pirate King displayed beautiful sword choreography during his aria as well as a great high note, and it was easy to see why he fits this role so well. I hope he gets to play this role many more times. Besides his acting, I found his singing with James Robinson as Samuel to be particularly memorable when they harmonized with each other. Robinson, too, shone in his role, getting to indulge in an excellent solo during “With Cat-Like Tread” in the second act.
David Blalock as Frederic brought a soaring tenor to the role as well as a sweet, endearing sincerity. To my ear, his voice carried the most among the principals, but never to the point of overpowering others. In fact, the ensemble singing in this production was one of the high points. In particular, the “Hail Poetry” chorus was an absolutely gorgeous moment of a cappella singing worthy of its importance outside of this show’s context. The only thing that would have enhanced it? More dynamic contrast.
Adding to the sense of ensemble was the chorus. In any Gilbert and Sullivan show, the chorus should feel like a principal character, and here, they did. In particular, the ladies’ chorus entrance “Climbing Over Rocky Mountain” caught my attention with their colorful costumes by Wardrobe Witchery’s Glenn Avery Breed and polished choreography that added a lot to their performance. Among this group of the major-general’s daughters is Mabel, played by Jeni Houser with easy coloratura and played-up comedy during her showcase “Poor Wand’ring One.” I appreciated how she and the other ladies, far from being damsels in distress, made full use of the stage as they tried to fight off the pirates’ attempt to kidnap them.
Likewise, the men’s chorus added a lot to the show, earning many laughs not only as pirates but also as bumbling, cowardly policemen, led by Alex Smith as the Sargent of Police. The police in particular stood out to me with their choreography that featured their batons and waddling feet.
Last and certainly not least was Curt Olds as Major-General Stanley. If Ruth is the character that sets the bar for text delivery and characterization in this show, the major-general raises that bar. I am not surprised that Olds has played this role as many times as he has (sixteen and counting), because this portrayal should be the baseline for anyone who wants to do the role. Not only was his aria “I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major-General” masterfully delivered as far as text goes, but also overall this was a performance centered around character, unabashedly letting speech slip into the patter and using a character voice. This was everything you could want from the role and from the show as a whole.
Charlottesville Opera is a company worthy of a large following and they deserved the sold-out audience they got for the Saturday performance. Keep an eye on them and, if possible, make it a point to go see their productions of Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella and Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia next summer.
Maggie Ramsey
The Pirates of Penzance
Music by Arthur Sullivan
Libretto by W.S. Gilbert
Cast and Production Staff:
Major General Stanley – Curt Olds; The Pirate King – Peter Kendall Clark; Frederic – David Blalock; Mabel – Jeni Houser; Ruth – Amanda Zoe Vest; Sargent of Police – Alex Smith; Samuel – James Robinson; Edith – Kristen Marie Gillis; Kate – Maria Nicole de Conzo; Isabel – Elise Miller; Chorus – Amelia Burshe, Cody Carlson, Jinpark Choi, George Cohen, Max Alexander Cook, Frankie Davis Daniels, Maria Nicole De Conzo, Samuel Enriquez, Kara Faraldi, Kristen Marie Gillis, Ye Lynn Han, Alice Hoover, Sarah Kenney, Chelsea Kolic, Conner McWhirter, Elise Miller, Jake Moore, Sydney Murrell, Sarah Neal, Samuel Rachmuth, James Robinson, Anya Rothman, Nicola Santoro, William Snyder, III
Conductor – Brian Demaris; Stage Director – Kyle Lang; Choreographer – Kyle Lang; Assistant Conductor/Chorus Master – Emily Baltzer; Assistant Director – Alexia Christie; Scenic Designer – Stephen Carmody; Lighting Designer – Carson Decker; Costume Designer – Glenn Avery Breed; Wig and Makeup Designer – James P. McGough
Charlottesville, VA, July 12, 2025
Top image: Mens’ Chorus, James Robinson as Samuel, Peter Kendall Clark as The Pirate King, Amanda Zoe Vest as Ruth
All photos by Rettig Co.