Photos: THE MIKADO Comes to New York in Utopia Opera and Forbear! Theatre Co-Production

Utopia Opera will present Gilbert & Sullivan’s THE MIKADO in a fantasy-inspired co-production with London’s Forbear! Theatre from October 3–5, 2025 at the Ida K. Lang Recital Hall, Hunter College (695 Park Avenue, NYC). Check out photos of the show.

Directed by Forbear! Theatre’s Rachel Gianesse Middle and music directed by Utopia Opera founder William Remmers, the production will feature a 16-person cast and a 24-piece orchestra in four performances: October 3 at 7:00 p.m., October 4 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and October 5 at 2:30 p.m.

This New York run marks the final stop of Forbear! Theatre’s new production, which recently toured the UK. Middle has reimagined The Mikado in the mystical land of Pa'gæn, inhabited by elves, satyrs, and anthropomorphic beasts. The adaptation keeps Gilbert’s text intact, with character and location names reshaped from Old Norse, Old English, and Gaelic to reflect Middle’s English, Scottish, and Irish heritage. The production uses a fantasy setting to highlight the timeless satire of government and society at the heart of Gilbert & Sullivan’s work.

Performances will take place at the Ida K. Lang Recital Hall, Hunter College (695 Park Avenue). Dates are October 3 at 7:00 p.m.; October 4 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.; and October 5 at 2:30 p.m.

Photo Credit: Jon Lo

THE MIKADO At London's Forbear! Theatre