Cast Set For THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE At Victorian Opera
Ben Mingay and Antoinette Halloran lead the cast as the Pirate King and the long-suffering Ruth, following their performances in Victorian Opera's Sweeney Todd.
By: Stephi Wild Dec. 05, 2025
Victorian Opera will present Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance at the Palais Theatre from 31 January to 6 February. Bursting with much-loved music, Gilbert and Sulivan's operetta has long remained a crowd favourite with classics including ‘I am the Very Model of a Modern Major General', ‘Poor Wandering One' and ‘I am the Pirate King'.
Ben Mingay and Antoinette Halloran lead the cast as the Pirate King and the long-suffering Ruth, following their performances in Victorian Opera's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. They're joined by a stellar local cast, including theatre veteran Richard Piper as the Major General, rising stars Nicholas Jones and Nina Korbe as Frederic and Mabel, and Christopher Hillier as the Sergeant of Police.
The cast is rounded out by a talented ensemble of emerging artists and features several current and former Victorian Opera scholarship recipients. This includes 2026 Opera Prize winners Rachael Joyce, Bailey Montgomerie and Alessia Pintabona, as well as past winners Douglas Kelly and Syrah Torii.
This hilarious production will be directed by Stuart Maunder AM and conducted by James Pratt. On the production, Maunder notes: “There is no theatrical phenomenon with more staying power than Gilbert & Sullivan productions. For generations of Australians, their first G&S experience in a theatre is iconic.”
“It's a work that delivers joy for all ages and one to bring along the kids! As a show that begins with a 21st birthday party, what could be a better way to open Victorian Opera's 21st anniversary season. Join the party and celebrate the milestone!”
Don't miss this theatrical treasure.
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
Composer Arthur Sullivan
Librettist WS Gilbert
CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor James Pratt
Director Stuart Maunder
Choreographer & Assistant Director Elizabeth Hill-Cooper
Set Designer Richard Roberts
Lighting Designer Trudy Dalgleish
CAST
Pirate King Ben Mingay
Ruth Antoinette Halloran
Frederic Nicholas Jones
Mabel Nina Korbe
Major General Stanley Richard Piper
Sergeant of Police Christopher Hillier
Samuel Douglas Kelly
Edith Rachael Joyce
Kate Alessia Pintabona
Isabel Syrah Torii
ENSEMBLE: Megan Baker, Lachlan Bartlett, Alastair Cooper-Golec, Eamon Dooley, Shakira Dugan, Declan Farr, Genevieve Gray, Georgie Grech, Hanlon Innocent, Chloe James, Luke London, Bailey Montgomerie, Joshua Morton-Galea, Sidra Nissen, Kiran Rajasingam, Rebecca Rashleigh, Henry Shaw, Nicholas Sheppard, Darcy Wain
Videos