Gilbert and Sullivan’s last great musical success, The Gondoliers, hilariously satirizes class distinctions. Due to an error of identity when they were young, a gaggle of charming Venetian gondoliers are informed that one of them is the heir to the throne of Barataria. The tribulations of governing and romance are lampooned in this delightful musical theater piece by the masters of comic opera, presented by Mason’s Schools of Music and Theater and performed at the Center for the Arts in Fairfax.
WHAT: The Gondoliers – A musical presented by Mason’s Schools of Music and Theater
WHEN: Thursday, October 26 – Sunday, October 29, 2017 (times vary)
WHERE: Center for the Arts at Mason in Fairfax See Map
COST: $30 Adults, $15 Students and Seniors
PARKING: Free parking in Lot K (Saturday and Sunday ONLY), or paid parking in Mason Pond Parking Deck
The Gondoliers delves into questions of identity and social responsibility, satirizing class distinctions as well as political institutions. The plot follows two Venetian brothers, Marco and Giuseppe, who are informed that one of them was born to be the King of Barataria. The “king” needs to leave behind his life as a gondolier so that he can return to Barataria, be reunited with his “true” queen—whom he married without knowledge or consent in infancy—and quash the unrest brewing in his birth country. The bothers’ father has died and therefore cannot help to unravel the truth about their real identity. The new Queen of Barataria, Casilda, also has a problem: she too has found a love-match and would rather marry a commoner named Luiz than be the Queen of Barataria.
This production is part of George Mason University’s yearlong Gilbert & Sullivan Celebration.
GET TICKETS THROUGH THE CENTER FOR THE ARTS