{"id":111532,"date":"2025-02-06T14:58:17","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T19:58:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=111532"},"modified":"2025-02-07T07:00:01","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T12:00:01","slug":"preview-toronto-operetta-theatre-presents-gilbert-sullivans-gondoliers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/02\/06\/preview-toronto-operetta-theatre-presents-gilbert-sullivans-gondoliers\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | Toronto Operetta Theatre Presents Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The
The cast of Toronto Operetta Theatre\u2019s The Gondoliers, Top, L-R: Sebastien Belcourt, Lissy Meyerowitz; Brooke Mitchell; Bottom, L-R: Yanick Gosselin; Meghan Simon; Gregory Finney (Photos courtesy of the artists)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Toronto Operetta Theatre will be mounting a production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers. Performances take place on Feb. 28, Mar. 1 and 2 at the St. Lawrence Centre.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur season this year has been very rewarding artistically with some of the greatest reviews ever,\u201d says TOT\u2019s founder and General Director Guillermo<\/strong> Silva-Marin<\/strong>, \u201cEqually exciting is the increase in attendance. We reached our goal for Countess Maritza, and ticket sales for The Gondoliers have already exceeded our expectations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gilbert & Sullivan: The Gondoliers<\/h3>\n

Also known as The King of Barataria, the work is a Savoy Opera, a type of comic opera that premiered at the Savoy Theatre in London. It was a huge success at its premiere in December 1889, and ran for 554 performances before closing in 1891.<\/p>\n

The story takes place in Venice, as two handsome gondoliers choose their wives from the local peasant girls. It turns out one of them is the heir to the throne of Barataria \u2014 but which one?<\/p>\n

The two decide to rule together, but another revelation throws a monkey wrench into their plans: another girl was promised in childhood to become the bride of the prince.<\/p>\n

The libretto pokes fun at the perks and perils of privilege with a lighthearted lens.<\/p>\n

\"Gilbert
Gilbert & Sullivan: The Gondoliers, graphic courtesy of Toronto Operetta Theatre<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Cast<\/h3>\n

The two titular gondoliers are played by tenor Yanik Gosselin<\/strong> as Marco and baritone Sebastien Belcourt<\/strong> as Giuseppe. Gosselin is making his TOT debut with The Gondoliers. He\u2019s originally from the Lake Temiskaming region in Ontario, now based in Halifax. Yanik earned a BMus in Voice Performance from the University of Ottawa, followed by an MMus in Opera and Voice from McGill University.<\/p>\n

Sebastien Belcourt is a TOT favourite, and most recently performed as Popolescu in Countess Maritza. The Toronto-based baritone is a graduate of York University in Classical Voice, and his experience includes choral as well as operatic work, including performing with the Orpheus and Ottawa Bach Choirs. He toured Europe and China with the latter, and has performed as a soloist in North America and Europe.<\/p>\n

The contadini (peasant girls) are performed by soprano Brooke Mitchell<\/strong> as Giannetta, and mezzo soprano Lissy Meyerowitz<\/strong> as Tessa. Brooke won rave reviews as Kathie in the TOT\u2019s The Student Prince. Based in Toronto, Brooke is a graduate of Sheridan\u2019s Music Theatre program, with credits that include operatic roles like Queen of the Night in Mozart\u2019s The Magic Flute (No Strings Theatre\/Opera By Request), along with Alice in Bad Hats Theatre\u2019s Alice in Wonderland, among others.<\/p>\n

Lissy Meyerowitz\u2019s recent roles include Rosina in Barber of Seville for Highlands Opera and Niklausse in Les Contes d\u2019Hoffmann for the Halifax Summer Opera Festival. She\u2019s a graduate of the University of Toronto Opera Master\u2019s program, and served as a Sidgwick Scholar with the Orpheus Choir of Toronto from 2022-2023.<\/p>\n

The Duchess and Duke of Plaza Toro are portrayed by mezzo Meghan Symon<\/strong> and baritone Gregory Finney<\/strong>. Booth are veterans of TOT productions. Meghan earned a Master\u2019s degree at the University of Toronto, and has sung with companies and ensembles across Canada, including Manitoba Opera, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Cathedral Bluffs Orchestra, Manitoba Underground Opera, The Theater of Early Music, Toronto Operetta Theater and Voicebox: Opera in Concert, among others.<\/p>\n

Known for his comedic skills as well as his voice, Finney is a Dora Award winner (Messiah\/Complex by Against the Grain Theatre), and has hosted AtG\u2019s monthly opera pubs. His repertoire includes a wide variety of roles, and he is also a director who has led productions Nozze di Figaro and Carmen.<\/p>\n

Conductor Matheus Coelho<\/strong>, an alumnus of the S\u00e3o Paulo Symphony\u2019s Academy of Music, and currently a UofT Doctoral candidate, makes their debut with Toronto Operetta Theatre.<\/p>\n

TOT General Director Guillermo Silva-Marin<\/strong> directs, with Myra Malley<\/strong> as Stage Manager.<\/p>\n