Pirates of Penzance, The

In order to capitalise on the enormous success of HMS Pinafore in the USA, Gilbert and Sullivan’s fifth collaboration - The Pirates of Penzance (or The Slave of Duty) - was premiered in New York City in December 1879. When Sullivan arrived in New York, he found that he had left his sketches for the first act in London, and had to reconstruct the first act from memory. Nevertheless, the new opera was well-received, and was subsequently performed for a century by the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company in Britain, and many other opera companies and repertory companies worldwide. The story concerns Frederic, who, having completed his 21st year, is released from his apprenticeship to a band of tenderhearted pirates. He meets Mabel, the daughter of Major-General Stanley, and the two young people fall instantly in love. Frederic finds out, however, that he was born on February 29, and so, technically, he only has a birthday each leap year. His apprenticeship indentures state that he remains apprenticed to the pirates until his 21st birthday, and so he must serve for another 63 years. Mabel agrees to wait for him faithfully. The opera includes many famous songs, including Poor Wandrin’ One, The Policeman’s Song and the oft-parodied I am the very model of a modern Major-General.

Instrumentation
FLUTE/PICCOLO : OBOE : CLARINET (opt. A Clarinet) : HORN : TRUMPET (opt. A Trumpet) : TROMBONE : 2 PERCUSSION : VIOLIN I : VIOLIN II : VIOLA : CELLO : BASS : FULL SCORE

Format
V/S Lib/Voc O/S

Publisher
R&H