Ben Mingay and Antoinette Halloran Will Lead GILBERT & SULLIVAN: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION in Melbourne

Following their performances in Victorian Opera’s season of The Pirates of Penzance and Sweeney Todd, powerhouse singers Ben Mingay and Antoinette Halloran will reunite for Opera Australia’s Gilbert & Sullivan: A Musical Celebration, in three Melbourne exclusive concerts at the Regent Theatre, 22-24 May.

Fans will delight in highlights from The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S Pinafore and Iolanthe, with Director Stuart Maunder AM thoughtfully linking together a selection of their most loved tunes with dialogue from the works, and musings from Gilbert and Sullivan themselves.

Joining Ben and Antoinette is an all-star cast from Opera Australia including John Longmuir, Alexander Lewis, Cathy-Di Zhang, Danielle Bavli, Ruth Strutt and Leon Vitogiannis.

“My love affair with Gilbert and Sullivan really began in high school. I love the language, the wit, the honest emotion and the topsy-turvy madness and I think their works are just as popular, silly, relevant and entertaining as they were 150 years ago.” said Director Stuart Maunder AM.  

“We have brought together a brilliant cast, who not only sing superbly but are hilarious and wildly fun to watch on stage. Gilbert once said’ ‘where can your grand opera singers who can act be found?’. Well, we’ve found them - what a cast!” he said.

Conductor Chad Kelly will lead Orchestra Victoria through some of the pair’s greatest musical moments when mischievous humour meets soaring melodies in a sparkling evening of operatic wit, whimsy and unforgettable song.

For 150 years, Gilbert and Sullivan have shaped everything from modern musicals to sketch comedy. Their operettas are witty, tuneful and surprisingly modern, which is why they continue to pop up in unexpected places: animated sitcoms, political satire, late-night comedy, and the odd Hollywood blockbuster.